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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



Nanus is very showy, having large light blue spreading 

 flowers. Allied to the preceding is the small family {Diapen- 

 sacece). It consists of three known species represented by 

 Diapensis lapponica, native of Lapland, and Pijxidanthera 

 harhulata of North America. Small prostrate frutlets of 

 the habit of small leaved Saxifrnga^ having solitary, pretty, 

 white or pink bell-shaped flowers ; they are only interesting 

 botanically. 



The Nux- Vomica Family. 



(Strychnace^.) 



Small trees or shrubs, rarely herbs. Leaves opposite, 

 simple, with sheathing stipules, sometimes united to the 

 petioles. Flowers solitary, spiked, or in racemes. Corolla 

 regular or irregular, inconspicuous, or large and showy, 

 stamens in some 4. Fruit a 2-celled capsule or berry, or 

 with a hard shell (pepo-like) with the seeds immersed in 

 pulp. 



This family consists of nearly 200 species, all widely dis- 

 tributed throughout tropical countries, a few extending 

 beyond. They exhibit extreme differences in habit and 

 appearance ; some contain a most deadly poison. 



Worm Grass or Pink Eoot {Spigelia marilandica and 

 S. Anthelmia). Pretty herbaceous plants about a foot in 

 height, having spikes of pink flowers. Their roots are 

 powerful purgatives, and were at one time much used as 

 worm medicines. 



Nux-vomica {Strychnos Nux-vomica). A small, strag- 

 gling, branched tree, native of India. It has opposite sessile 

 leaves that have several strongly marked veins running from 

 the base to the apex. The flowers are small, and the fruit 

 resembles an orange, but has a hard rind and contains nume- 

 rous round, flat seeds like broad beans, embedded in pulp, 

 and when dry have a covering of w^hite silky hairs. The 

 kernels of these seeds contain two most deadly poisons, 

 Strychnine and Brucine ; but the pulp is wholesome. The 

 bark and roots are extremely bitter, and are favourite 



