250 
toria, one of the most important dyes with which we are acquainted ; a quality 
in which many other species of Stellatse participate in a greater or less degree. 
The roots of Rubia cordifolia (Munjista Roxb.) yield the Madder of Bengal. 
{Ainslie, 1. 203.), and form even an article of the export commerce to Eu- 
rope under the name of Munjeeth, Rubia angustissima from Tong Dong, has 
also highly coloured roots. Royles Illustrations, 237. The tonified grains of 
Galium are said to be a good substitute for coffee. The flowers of Galium 
verum are used to curdle milk. An infusion of Asperula cynanchica has a 
little astringency, and has been used as a gargle. Asperula odorata, or Wood- 
ruff is remarkable for its fragrance when ^ed ; it passes for a diuretic. Rubia 
noxa is said to be poisonous. Ed. Phil. Journ. 14. 207. 
GENERA. 
Sherardia, Dill. Asperula, L. Galium, Scop. Callipeltis, Stev. 
Dillenia, Heist. Crucianella, L. • Aspera, Moench. Cucullaria, Buxb. 
Aparine, Tourn. Rubia, Tourn. Eyselia, Neck. Vaillantia, DC. 
Valantia, Tourn. 
Group III. 
Essential Character. — Ovary consisting of but one perfect carpel. 
This simple character groups a very large number of plants which, what- 
ever their relation may be to other parts of the system, are manifestly allied 
most strictly to each other. They differ in regard to the cohesion of their an- 
thers with each other, of the calyx with the ovary, and some other points 
which serve to form five natural alliances. The principal part of the orders 
have the flowers in close heads ; but in some of them they are arranged in 
loose masses. 
Alliance I. COMPOSITE or ASTERALES. 
Essential Character — Anthers syngenesious. 
These are the Polygamous Syngenesious plants of Linnaeus. Until the 
appearance of De CandoUe’s next volume of his Prodromus aU that relates to 
the systematic arrangement of the genera and species must remain in much 
confusion, notwithstanding the recent excellent work of Lessing. I therefore 
leave all that relates to them in nearly the same state as in the first edition of 
this work ; observing only that it appears to me that independently of Caly- 
ceraceae there are at least four distinct orders comprehended under the com- 
mon name of Compositae ; of these some have a bilabiate coroUa (Mutisiaceae) ; 
others only a unilabiate one (Cichoraceae) ; others a unilabiate and regular 
one mixed (Asteraceae or Corymbiferae) ; and a fourth set, rigid or spiny in- 
volucres with all the flowers regular (Cynaraceae) ; see order 194. All this, 
however, I waive for the present, until the views of De Candolle shall have 
been e:^lained'as they soon wUl be. It may, however, be useful to repeat 
very briefly the characters of the orders just adverted to adding their syno- 
nyms. 
Order 190. Calycerace^, R. Br. (Boopideae, Cassini.) 
Albumen present ; seed pendulous. 
