NATURAL ARRANGEMENT- 
1087 
They are all natives of tropical countries, with the exception of Tillandsia, which, in the humid woods of 
Carolina, forms dense festoons among the branches of the trees ; this, like many others of the order, is an 
epiphyte, vegetating among the black mould that collects upon the bark of trees in hot damp countries; others 
are inhabitants of deep and gloomy forests; and others form, with their spiny leaves, an impenetrable herbage 
in the extensive pampas of Buenos Ayres and Brazil. From the Agave mexicana a fermented, beverage is 
prepared, from which a strong colorless spirit, resembling the best Scotch whiskey, is distilled. 
726 Brom(51ia W. 121 Guzmannia Fl. pet: 723 Bonapartea F. P. 125 Furcree'a V. 
728 Pitcairnia W. 729 Tillandsia W. 724 Agave H. K. 
Order CLXIII. LILIACE^. 
It is doubted whether several of the preceding orders are not rather sections of this; until, however, the com- 
bination of these shall be eft'ected by some hand yet more masterly than those by which they have been divided, 
it is best to let them remain as they are. The beauty of the plants composing the Liliaceie, strictly so called, 
is universally acknowledged ; the rich colors of the branching lilies, the vivid hues of the pamted tulip, the 
modest graces of the humble Erythroniums, and the portly forms of the Yuccas are all attractions of which no 
good garden should be destitute. The species are all inhabitants of either cold or temperate latitudes. 
771 LUium W. 113 Fritillaria W. 782 Erythronium IV. 
772 Tiilipa W. 781 Yucca JV. 
Order CLXIV. MELANTHACE^. 
These, too, are pretty herbs, although destitute of the grandeur of the preceding, which, however, they far 
surpass in the potency of their virtues. The flowers of many are inconspicuous, and of a dull-green or yellow 
color, sometimes assuming a livid hue, which will bespeak the nature of their i)owers. A dangerous or 
poisonous acrid juice is their characteristic, which is particularly active in some of them, such as the C61- 
chicum and Veratrum. The roots of the former are the basis of the eau medicinale, and are now used in 
eases of gout with much success. The root of Veratrum is believed to have been the hellebore of the am ients, 
an active drug, which, administered in small doses, is a drastic purgative, in more abund;ince a violent emetic. 
The root of Helonias dioica, infused in water, is anthelmintic, but, steeped in spirits, yields a bitter and tonic 
tincture. The leaves of Colchicum and Veratrum often produce vomiting and severe pain in the animals 
that eat them ; the flowers of the first are also said to be poisonous, and its seeds to possess the same properties 
as the roots, but in a milder degree. Groves and pastures in Europe and Siberia and North America are the 
most frequented by Melanthaceae, several are found at the Cape, and Gloriosa is a native of the woods of 
middle Africa. 
851 Colchicum J^. 847 Xerophyllum AfzcA. 849 Androcymbium W^. 858 Nolina iV//c/(. 
784 Bulbocudium W. 842 Lichtensteinia W. 844 Tofieldia Hud. 2128 Veratrum }V. 
845 Melanthium L. 848 Wurmbea L. 852 Helonias L. 783 Gloriosa JV. 
Order CLXV. BUTOME^. 
Fine water plants, of which BCitomus, by general consent the most beautiful of British plants, has purple 
flowers J and Limnocharis, a native of the marshes of Brazil, hds yellow ones. 
939 Butomus W. 1175 Limnocharis Rich. 
Order CLXVI. ALISMACE.^. 
Handsome water plants, with white flowers, and many ovaria. Some are common in our English ditches, 
others are found in similar situations in the tropics. 
860 Actinocarpus B. Br. 1988 Sagittaria fV. 861 Alisma JV. 
Order CLXVII. COMMELINE^. 
Mostly inhabitants of marshy ground, in either hemisphere, but not known in Europe except in cultivation. 
America is their grand station. Many are insignificant creeping plants, especially the Commelinas ; others, as 
the Pontederias are very handsome; and the Dichorizandras are exceedingly noble caulescent plants, with 
large thyrses of blue flowers : this color is the prevailing one of the order. 
84 Callisia JV. 89 Aneil^ma B. P. 730 Pontederia JV. 766 Dichorizandra Fand. 
88 Commelina B. P. 90 Cartonema B. Br. 165 Tradescantia JV. 
Order CLXVIII. JUNCE^. 
Inconspicuous, rigid, worthless weeds, for the most part; Xyris and Phllydrum, which have pretty yellow 
flowers, if belonging to the order, being exceptions. They clothe barren ground in most parts of the 
world, and are the first approach to the formation of a regular perianthium, as we ascend in the scale of 
vegetation. Xerotes has the habit of a low palm. 
86 Xyris L. 761 Luzula Dec. 2076 Xerotes R. Br. 
760 Juncus L. 839 Flagellaria JV. 11 ? Philydrum R. Br. 
Order CLXIX. ERIOCAULE^. 
Pretty interesting little bog plants, found in all parts of the world. The order consists of Eriocaulon only, 
many of whose species are easily cultivated, though seldom seen in gardens. The Eriocaulon septangulare, 
found in a lake in the Isle of Skye, is, perhaps, the rarest of European plants. They are not known to possess 
any medical virtues, 
223 Eriocaulon JV. 
Order CLXX. PANDANE^E. 
With the habit of palms, and the inflorescence of Aroidea?, this fine order stands very distinctly separated 
from all others. The stem is an arborescent caudex, either growing to a considerable height, or weak, and 
lying on the ground. 'I'he leaves of some are formed into a coarse cordage ; the flowers of P. odoratissimus, 
and the fruit of some others, are eaten. All are tropical. 
2004 Carludovica Fl. per. 2041 Pandanus JV. 
Order CLXXI. NAIADES. 
Floating uninteresting plants, scarcely susceptible of cultivation : they form a close approach to Cellulares. 
1938 Zannichellia JV. 
Order CLXXII. RESTIACE^. 
Rigid, inelegant, often leafless plants, with split vaginae, and the habit of some Cyperaceae, or true Junceae. 
They are all inhabitants of the southern hemisphere, especially of the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland. 
2046 "Willdenovia Th. 2047 Restio JV. 2048 El^gia IV. 2110 Leptocarpus R. Br. 
