59 
anterior and posterior sepals. But it is in their fruit that their great peculiarity 
consists. 
As the placentae are opposite the lobes of the stigma in this order, it is 
difficult to reconcile their fruit with any general theory of structure. Either it 
is in reality composed of four carpels, two of which are abortive, as is suggested 
in the Botanical Register, fol. 1168, or each of the two lobes of the stigma is 
composed of two half lobes belonging to different carpels. In any view, the 
dissepiment which cuts off the interior of the fruit into 2 cells must be consi- 
dered spurious, and a mere expansion of the placentae. 
Almost all Cniciferae are destitute of bracts, and have the calyx imbricated 
in aestivation ; but Brown has noticed {Denham, p. 7) that in Savignya and 
Ricotia it is valvate. 
Linnaeus divided this order, which is the same as his Tetradynamia, by the 
form of the fruit, under two heads, bearing the names of Siliquosa and Sdicu- 
losa. More recently, divisions have been founded upon the nature of the ph- 
cature of the cotyledons, and the position of the radicle with respect to them. 
It is difficult to say what degree of importance really deserves to be attached 
to these characters, which are however in general use, and which will proba- 
bly continue to be employed for the purpose of distinction. 
Geography. An order eminently European; 166 species are found in 
northern and middle Europe, and 1 7 8 on the northern shore or islands of the 
Mediterranean ; 45 are peculiar to the coast of Africa, between Mogador and 
Alexandria; 184 to Syria, Asia Minor, Tauria, and Persia; 99 to Siberia; 
35 to China, Japan, or India ; 16 to New HoUand and the South Sea Islands ; 
6 to the Isle of France and the neighbouring islands ; 70 to the Cape of 
Good Hope ; 9 to the Canaries or Madeira ; 2 to St. Helena ; 2 to the West 
Indies ; 41 to South America ; 48 to North America ; 5 to the islands between 
North America and Kamtchatka ; and 35 are common to various parts of the 
world. This being their general geographical distribution, it appears that, 
exclusive of species that are uncertain, or common to several different coun- 
tries, about 100 are found in the southern hemisphere, and about 800 in the 
northern, or 91 in the new, and the rest in the old world. Finally, if we con- 
sider them with regard to temperature, we shall find that there are, — 
In the frigid zone of the northern hemisphere 205 
In all the tropics (and chiefly in mountainous regions) .... 30 
Tr, J oi the northern hemisphere 548 1 . 
In the temperate zone { of the southern ditto . . . se} ' 
Such were the calculations of De CandoUe in 1821 (Syst. 2. 142). Although 
requiring considerable modification, especially in the Asiatic and North Ame- 
rican numbers, which are much too low, they serve to give a general idea of 
the manner in which this order is dispersed over the globe. 
Properties. The universal character of Cniciferae is to possess antiscor- 
butic and stimulant quahties, combined with an acrid flavour. These are so 
uniform, that I shall only offer some general remarks upon them ; for which I 
am chiefly indebted to De Candolle’s Essai sur les Proprietes Medicates des 
Plantes, to which I refer those who wish for more information. Cniciferae 
contain a great deal of nitrogen, to which it is supposed is due their animal 
odour when rotting. Mustard, Cress, Horseradish, and many others, are ex- 
tremely stimulating and acrid. The seeds of Sinapis chinensis are considered 
by Hindoo and Mahometan practitioners as stimulant, stomachic, and laxative. 
Ainslie, 1. 230. The seeds of one species of Arabis (chinensis Rottler) are 
prescribed by the Indian doctors as stomachic and gently stimulant ; but they 
apprehend its bringing on abortion if imprudently given. Ibid. 2. 12. When 
the acrid flavour is dispersed among an abundance of mucilage, various parts 
of these plants become a wholesome food ; such as the root of the Radish and 
the Turnip, the herbage of the Water-cress, the Cabbage, the Sea-kale, and 
