NATURAL ARRANGEMENT. 
1081 
inserted under the ovarium ; in the latter into the calyx, but this mark is not constant. None of them, unless 
Phytolacca is excepted, can be esteemed plants of ornament ; on the contrary, they have a weedy uninviting 
appearance, which is not improved by the fetid smell of some of them. But, although their appearance is less 
attractive than that of the Amaranths, their use to man is far more considerable. Their qualities are very 
various ; Camphorosma has the smell of camphor ; Petiveria stinks like onions ; Phytolacca roots, leaves, and 
berries, are violent purgatives and emetics ; the latter are esteemed in North America nearly equal to Guaiacum, 
and are employed in chronic rheumatisms, and in rheumatic pains following venereal diseases ; an extract of 
the berries has been employed in scrophula and cancerous ulcers ; and the young shoots of the plant are eaten 
in the United States as asparagus. Some of the Chenop6diums, as Ambrosioides, Botrys, &c., possess anti- 
spasmodic and tonic properties ; the leaves of Spinacia, and of many Chenopodiums, are eaten as spinach ; as 
are those of Basella in China and India. Salsola and Salicornia are often employed as pickles. Beet roots are 
equally valuable as a culinary and agricultural production, and the leaves are an excellent vegetable when 
boiled. But the most remarkable feature in the properties of the order is the abundant production of soda, 
which is obtained from many of the species, as from all the Salsolas, Salicornias, Anabasis, many species of 
A'triplex, several salt marsh Chenopudiums, and others. The seeds of Chenopodium anthelminticum are 
used as a vermifuge, those of A'triplex hortensis excite vomiting, frequently attended with acute pain ; those 
of Chenopodium quinoa are said to be used as rice. To conclude this list of remarkable properties in one of 
the most vile of all assemblages of plants, the roots of beet yield an abundance of sugar. 
21 Pollichia W. 
22 Salicornia W. 
92 Polycnemum W. 
611 Chenopodium TV. 
609 Salsola W. 
610 Kochia Roth. 
612 Beta TV. 
cm Anabasis IV. 
558 Chenolea W. 
613 Bosea W. 
28 Blitum W. 
26 Corisp^rmura TV. 
253 Rivma TV. 
254 Camphorosma TV. 
693 Bastlla TV. 
865 Petivt ria TV. 
917 Galenia TV. 
1071 Phytolacca TV. 
1937 Ceratocarpus TV. 
1943 Axyris W 
1964 Diutis TV. 
2070 Spinacia 
2138 A'triplex 
2139 Rhagodia R. Br 
2072 Acnida TV. 
Order CXXVII. POLYGONEiE. 
Herbaceous or suffrutescent fleshy-leaved plants, chiefly natives of the northern hemisphere ; a few 
Polygonums and Coccolobas are found to the south, the former in barren places, the latter on sea shores. A 
great part of the order consists of worthless weeds. Some of the Polygonums, and all the Eriogonums, are 
handsome plants; the Rheums are famous in medicine. The root of Rheum is tonic and purgative; most of 
the Rumexes and Polygonums are also tonics. The juice of the Coccolobas is very astringent. The young 
leaves and shoots of several species of Rumex and Rheum are eaten either raw or baked, under the name of 
sorrel, French sorrel, and tart rhubarb. For the sake of its seeds. Polygonum Fagopyrum is cultivated by 
farmers under the name of buck-wheat ; the seeds of P. aviculare are very emetic and purgative. The fleshy 
calyx of the Coccolobas is colored ; and, the fruit growing in clusters, the genus has received the name of the 
sea-side grape. 
228 Koenigia TV. 857 Oxyria Dec. 937 Eriogonum Mi. 1106 Calligonum TV 
838 Atraphaxis TV. 921 Polygonum TV. 938 Rheum TV. 2090 Triplaris TV. 
856 Rimiex TV. 922 Coccoloba TV. 1052 Brunnichia TV. 
Order CXXVIII. BEGONIACE^. 
The acid qualities, sheathing stipules, and alternate leaves of these tropical herbs approximate them to 
Polygonece, notwithstanding the very different structure of their fructification. Most of the species are 
pretty, some very handsome ; all requiring great heat and humidity to be grown in perfection. 
1989 Begonia TV. 
Order CXXIX. LAURINEiE. 
Noble trees or shrubs with handsome foliage and inconspicuous flowers. They are chiefly natives of hot 
countries, where they coiistitute some of the most valuable of the productions known under the name of 
spice. By botanists they are readily recognized by the singular circumstance of their anthers having each 
four cells, the valves of which are hinged as it were to the upper edge of each cell, and do not open longitu- 
dinally like those of most other plants. It is well known that the cinnamon is the produce of the Laurus 
cinnamomum, and that its properties are eminently aromatic, warm, and stomachic. The same peculiarities, 
but in a less degree, exist also in Laurus cassia, L. malabathrica, and L. culilaban, which are all occasionally 
substituted for true cinnamon ; they are found in the leaves of Laurus parvifolia, in the bark of the species 
which produces the Picliurim bean ; in that of L. cupularis, which is the Isle of France cinnamon ; of 
Li. quixos, which yields the Peruvian cinnamon; in L. Benzoin, which was used as spice in the United States 
during the American war ; and finally, in the common bay tree of our plantations. Laurus sassafras yields 
the sassafras chips of the shops, but its bark is much more powerful. The fruit of many Laurinese are 
extremely aromatic ; that of Laurus Persea is an agreeable West Indian fruit, called the alligator pear. 
Camphor is the produce of Lavirus camphora, and of another or two ; this substance is found indeed in small 
quantities in the roots of almost all the order ; one of the cinnamons is even named Capuru Carundu, which 
signifies camphorated cinnamon. 
934 Laurus TV. 936 Cassytha TV. 1942 Hernandia TV. 1077 Agathophyllum TV. 
Order CXXX. MYRISTICE^. 
Closely allied to the last, especially in sensible properties. The arillus of Myristica is the mace of the shops, 
and its nut, the famous nutmeg. It is well known that this abounds with oil ; in Virola sebifera the oily secre- 
tion is so copious, that it is readily separated by immersion in boiling water under the form of fat. 
2120 Myristica TJ\ 
Order CXXXI. PROTEACE^. 
Favorite shrubs with gardeners, both on account of the neatness of their foliage and the beauty of their 
flowers. With very few exceptions, they are confined to the southern promontory of Africa, and to New 
Holland, where they adorn large tracts of country. They are shrubby or arborescent plants with an arid 
habit. The leaves are simple, evergreen, narrow, entire or serrated. The flowers generally grow in clusters, 
and are green, yellow, or red, sometimes in true Proteas surrounded by colored bractese with dark hairy 
margins. Their stamens are four, with distinct anthers, which rarely adhere together. The pollen is triangular ; 
the stigma undivided and usually oblique. Their fruit is of various kinds, either a solitary nut or a sort of 
cone consisting of many nuts immersed among the indurated remains of abortive flowers. Of their pro- 
perties, little is known. Some of the Rhopalas afFord tolerable timber ; the bark of Protea speciosa and 
grandifl(5ra is astringent and useful in diarrhoeas. The seeds of Embothrium tinctorium yield a powder which 
is employed for dying pink. The Proteas of the Cape, and the Banksias and Dryandras of New Holland, 
are the finest plants of the order. 
229 Petr6phila R. Br. 
230 Isopugon R. Br. 
231 Protea R. Br. 
232 Leucospermumii.^n 
€52 A<:ilax R. Br. 
2053 Leucadendron R. Br. 
233 Mimetes R. Br. 
234 Serruria R. Br. 
235 Nivenia R. Br. 
236 Sorocephalus R. Br. 
237 Spatalla R. Br. 
238 Persoonia R. Br. 
239 Grevillea R. Br. 
240 Hakea R. Br. 
241 Stenocarpus R. Br. 
242 Lambertia R. Br. 
243 Xylomelum R. Br. 
244 Telopea R. Br. 
245 Lomatia R. Br. 
246 Rhopala R. Br. 
247 Banksia R. Br. 
248 Dryandra R. Br. 
2142 Brabejura TV. 
