IG6 
CLASS DIDYNAMIA. 
stimulating ; when the bitter principle is in excess, as in germander, they act aa 
tonics and strengthen the digestive organs. 
The pericarp of the labiate flowers belongs to Mirbel's class of fruits, called 
cenohion. 
237. Order Gymnospermia. — Plants in this order have labir 
ate corollas of the ringent kind ; seeds /bwr, lying uncovered in 
the calyx ; flowers grow in whorls / stem four-angled ; leaves 
opposite. The calyx is either five-parted, or the upper part 
consists of two lip-like divisions. 
At Fig. 144 is a flower of the genus Teucrium {germander) ; the corolla is rm- 
gent, as at a, the upper lip two-cleft, the lower lip three-cleft ; the stamens and 
pistils are introrse ; the stamens are exsert through the cleavage on the upper side : 
b shows the pistil with its four uncovered, or gymnospermous seeds. 
The E-in^ent flowers generally grow in whorls at the up- 
per part ot an angular stem, the leaves standing opposite. 
Among them we find many aromatic plants, peppermint, 
lavender, savory, marjoram, thyme, &c. ; also many medi- 
cinal herbs, as pennyroyal, catmint, horehound, &c. ; the scull- 
cap {Scutellaria)^ which has been said to be a remedy for the 
hydrophobia ; the modest Isanthm (blue gentian), and a little 
flower of a beautiful blue color, called blue curls (Trichos- 
tema). 
238. Order Angiosjpermia contains plants with many seeds 
in a capsule ; they appear to have an affinity with some fami- 
lies of the class Pentandria. Many of them, in addition to the 
four stamens^ have a fifth filament^ the rudiment of another 
stamen ; sometimes the irregular corolla varies into a regular 
form, with^^;^ divisions. Among plants which exhibit the im- 
perfect fifth stamen, are the trumpet-flower and fox-glove. In 
this order the personate corollas are to be found, or labiate flow- 
ers with closed lips. Fig. 144, represents a flower of this kind ; 
at d is the pistil showing a capsule, or that the seeds are 
angiospermous. A few flowers may be found here with bell- 
form, and funnel-form corollas. Plants of this order differ much 
in their natural characters from those of the order Gymnos- 
permia. Kone of them are used in preparations for food, as 
are the thyme and savory of the flrst order, but many of them 
possess powerful medicinal properties, as the fox-glove,* and 
the cancer-root {Epiphegus). They are a beautiful collection of 
plants ; few flowers are more splendid than the fox-glove and 
trumpet-flower. The Martynia is an exotic of easy cultivation, 
bearing a fine blossom ; its pericarp furnishes an excellent 
pickle. Plants of this class are numerous in every part of the 
• See Plate vii., Fig. 6. 
Gymnosi-mmia— Describe Fig. 144— Ringent flowers.- 238. How is the order Angiospermia dinOtt- 
guished ? — Personate flowers. 
