THE THISTLE FAMILY. 



851 



MiTcania are climbing plants, with opposite, generally sessile 

 leaves. They are common throughout tropical America, 

 and several of them are in high repute for the cure of snake 

 bites, more especially M. guaco ; but its powers are not well 

 authenticated, and the name Guaco is applied to other climb- 

 ing plants, such as Aristolochia, which are also used for the 

 same purposes. 



Madia Oil {Madia sativa). A clammy annual, native of 

 Chili, and cultivated in many parts of America and Europe, 

 for the sake of its seeds, which are made into oil-cake. 



SafEower (Carthamus tinctorius). A prickly stiff-leaved 

 annual, about 2 feet high, producing spiny heads of red 

 "flowers. It has long been cultivated throughout China, India, 

 the Levant, Egypt, Southern Europe, and even at one time in 

 England, where it was introduced three hundred years ago. It 

 yields a valuable dye, varying in shades of colour between red 

 and yellow, which is obtained by collecting the red florets of 

 the flower just before withering, and is greatly used for dyeing 

 China silks, crapes, and Spanish wool. It is also the prin- 

 cipal ingredient in the rouge that is used by theatrical actors, 

 &c. The chief import comes to this country from China, 

 India, and Egypt. The seeds yield an oil, which in India 

 is used for burning in lamps as well as for culinary 

 purposes. 



The principal shrubby and woody species of this family 

 are found within or near the tropics ; they also abound in 

 South Africa, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. But 

 few assume the character of timber trees, the principal 

 being — 



Musk Tree {Aster {Euryhia) argophylla). A native of 

 Tasmania, and one of the largest trees of the family ; it 

 attains the height of 20 or more feet with a diameter of 1 

 foot, furnishing a hard, solid wood that takes a good polish. 

 It has lance-shape silvery leaves, 3 to 5 inches in length, 

 smelling strong of musk, and on that account is an old 

 favourite in the greenhouses of this country. 



Bedfordia salicina. Another tree of Tasmania, but smaller 



