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Order CLVII. PHYTOLACCACE^. 
The Virginian Poke Tribe. 
Phytolacce^, R. Brown in Congo, 454. (1818); Bartl. Ord. Nat. p. 299. (1830). — 
Riviniace.®, Agh.; Martins Conspectus, No. 91. (1835). 
Essential Character. — Calyx of 4 or 5 petaloid leaves. Stamens either indefinite, 
or, if equal to the number of the divisions of the calyx alternate with them. Ovary of 
from 1 to several cells, each containing 1 ascending ovule ; styles and stigmas equal in 
number to the cells. Fruit baccate or dry, entire or deeply lobed, 1- or many-celled. 
Seeds ascending, solitary, with a cylindrical embryo curved round mealy albumen, with the 
radicle r\Qxt the hilum. — Under-shrubs or herbaceous plants. Leaves alternate, entire, with- 
out stipules, often with pellucid dots. Flowers racemose. 
Affinities. Nearly related to Chenopodiaceae and Polygonaceae, from 
the first of which they are distinguished by their multilocular ovary, and by 
their stamens exceeding the number of divisions of the calyx, or alternate with 
them ; or if their ovary is simple by the cal)^^; being petaloid, a circumstance 
which never occurs in Chenopodiaceae. From Polygonaceae they are known 
by the radicle being turned towards the hilum, and the want of stipules. Ri- 
vina, which has the albumen very much reduced in quantity, and a unilocular 
fruit, connects Phytolaccaceae with Petiveriaceae. Brown remarks {Congo, 
455.) that these two orders, widely as they differ in the structure of the ovaiy, 
are connected by a species of Phytolacca related to P. abyssinica, in which the 
5 cells are so deeply divided that they merely cohere by their inner angles*; 
and also by Gisekia, which has 5 distinct ovaries. 
Geography. Natives of either America, within or without the tropics, 
Africa, and India. Phytolacca decandra is natm'alised in some of the southern 
parts of Europe. 
Properties. A tincture of the ripe berries of Phytolacca decandra 
seems to have acquired a well-founded reputation as a remedy for chronic and 
syphilitic rheumatism, and for allaying syphiloid pains. By some it is said to 
be more valuable than Guaiacum. It has had no inconsiderable reputation as 
a remedy for Cancer ; but it is no longer esteemed, and it is probable that it 
was only found serviceable in ill-conditioned sluggish ulcers, wdiich are too 
frequently mistaken for real cancer. Its pulverised root is an emetic. Barton, 
2. 220. And a spirit distilled from the berries is stated to have killed a dog 
in a few minutes, by its violent emetic effects. According to De CandoUe, 
this plant is also a powerful purgative. But it acts so violently and is ac- 
companied by such ambiguous narcotic symptoms as not to be at all calculated 
for internal use. Barton. The leaves are extremely acrid, but the young 
shoots, which lose this quality by boiling in water, are eaten in the United 
States as Asparagus. 
GENERA. 
Phytolacca, L. Gisekia, L. ? Ciyptocarpus, Semonvillaea, Gay. 
Anisomeria, Don. Kcelreutera, Murr. H. B. K. Gaudinia, Gay. 
Rivina, L. Bosea, L. 
Alliance II. POLYGONALES. 
Essential Character. — Albumen present. Radicle at the end of the embryo most 
remote from the hilum. 
