THE NATURAL ORDER RANUNCULACE/E. 
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bunches of orange coloured tubular flowers, 
which, however, soon fade : each bunch of 
flowers has three large white bracts, which are 
the most showy part of the plant. It is suitable 
for a warm conservatory ; and was shown by 
Mr. Ayres, gardener at Brooklands, Black- 
heath. 
Achimenes Leibmanni, a variety — for it can 
be nothing more — of graudiflora, with rather 
deeper coloured flowers : shown by Messrs. 
Henderson. 
Lobelia sp. said to be from South America, 
of tall branching habit, with very long lance- 
shaped leaves, and small deep red flowers, was 
shown by Mr. Dods, gardener at Cleifden. 
Clitoria Tei-natea major, a climbing stove 
plant, with large deep-blue butterfly-shaped 
flowers, said to come from Sidney, New South 
Wales ; it was shown by Mr. Ayres. 
Tkysanotis sp. said to be raised from Cape 
seeds — probably Australian — was shown by 
Mr. Stanley, gardener at Sidcup ; it has 
purple fringed flowers, and is a pretty green- 
house herbaceous plant. 
JPavetta borbonica, is a handsome stove 
evergreen, with large lance-shaped leaves, 
mottled with light and dark green, and orna- 
mented by red veins ; it was shown by Mr. 
Robertson, gardener at Ealing Park. 
Tlieophrasta Jvssicei, is a stately unbranched 
stove shrub, with a tuft of evergreen oblong 
lance-shaped spinous leaves, and heads of dirty 
white flowers, seldom seen. It is a very rare 
plant, and was shown by Messrs. Rollisson. 
Erythrachiton bruzilienses, is a stove shrub, 
with fine obovate-acuminate leaves, tapering 
below, and bearing white trumpet-shaped flow- 
ers ; it was sent by Messrs. Lucombe and Co. 
Achimenes argyrostigma : this is sometimes 
considered a worthless plant. Mr. Dobson, 
gardener to Mr. Beck of Isleworth, had a fine 
large tuft of it, nicely flowered, and though 
not a showy plant, it is a very pretty one. 
Azalea indica, var. Conqueror, is a large pale 
red, well-formed flower : shown by Mr. Barnes. 
Erica Smainsonii inflata, is a pretty seed- 
ling Heath of Messrs. Rollisson's, with inflated 
tubular salmon-coloured flowers, with a re- 
curved limb : it is a good variety. 
Erica Vernonii superba, is a seedling with 
white coloured flowers, with an inflated tube, 
narrow mouth, and spreading limb; it has also 
a long red calyx, which is conspicuous in con- 
trast with the white of the corolla : a good 
variety in the way of Shannoniana, shown by 
Messrs. Fairbairn, of Clapham. 
Erica Whartoniana, is a seedling with 
flowers in the way of the last, but more fleMi- 
coloured : it was shown by Messrs Rollisson. 
Erica Cremesiana, is a variety in the way 
of ampullacea, with flesh-coloured flowers. 
Erica jasminiflora vittata, is a seedling 
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with inflated tube-shaped flowers like jasmini- 
flora, and delicately streaked with a few pink 
longitudinal lines ; it was shown by Mr. 
Barnes. 
Cereus Allnuttii, is a cross between C. 
grandiflorus and C. speciosissimus, partaking 
of the character of both ; the flowers are 
orange- scarlet, but do not appear to open 
freely — at least, by day ; it was raised and 
shown by J. Allnutt, Esq., of Clapham. 
THE NATURAL ORDER RANUNCULACEjE: 
The natural order of Ranunculaceje, or the 
Crowfoot tribe, belongs to the class of poly- 
petalous dicotyledonous plants, having its sta- 
mens adhering to the sides of the ovaries, 
anthers bursting by longitudinal slits, several 
distinct simple carpels, leaves without stipules, 
sheathing at the base, and some peculiarities 
in the seed. Some of the plants, as the Thalic- 
trums, are without petals to the flowers ; the 
calyx of Pasonia is persistent, not deciduous, 
as is in general the case. 
This order is usually placed first in arrange- 
ments of plants by what is called the Natural 
System. Taking a comprehensive view, the 
plants it contains are of a very suspicious cha- 
racter, for the most part possessing acrid, 
caustic, and poisonous properties. The caustic 
is however so volatile, that in most cases either 
drying of the plant, infusion in water, or boiling, 
are sufficient to dissipate it ; it is. neither acid 
nor alkaline ; it is increased by acid, sugar, 
wine, honey, spirit, &c, and is only effectually 
destroyed by water. 
The principal properties of the plants of 
this order, which belong to the British Flora, 
are of the nature which we have already 
mentioned ; in this place it may be worth 
while to present a brief summary of the quali- 
ties of some of the most remarkable plants of 
the order, whether native or exotic. The 
roots of some of the perennial species of Ado- 
nis, are said to possess emmenagogue proper- 
ties : those of several Aconitnms are acrid and 
poisonous in a high degree ; the roots of A. 
Napellus have been occasionally mistaken for 
horse-radish, and productive of serious conse- 
quences ; those of A. ferox are dreadfully 
poisonous. Several species of Hellebore are 
drastic purgatives. Pxonia has acrid bitter 
roots, which are, however, said to poss' s* anti- 
spasmodic qualities : the root of Hydrastis 
canadensis is exceedingly bitter, and used in 
North America, under the name of Yellow- 
root, as a tonic : that of Coptis trifoliata, or 
Gold Thread, is also a pure and powerful 
bitter, and is employed as a popular remedy 
for aphthous aft'ections of the mouth of chil- 
dren, in the United States : the root of Ane- 
mone Pulsatilla causes colic and vomiting : a 
'1 iction of that of Clematis dioica in sea- 
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