54 
THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
In some respects it resembles an orange, but it contains a large quantity of £vn exceedingly tenacious transparent 
gluten, which, when fresh, may be drawn out into threads two or three yards long. From the rind the Dutch in 
Ceylon prepare a perfume. The flowers are white and very fragrant. This plant in England requires a stove. 
CHAPTER XV. 
HYPERICINEtE Dec. 
Essential Character. — Calyx four to five-parted, or four to five- 
sepaled, permanent, usually unequal, the two outer ones small, the 
three inner ones largest, usually dotted and glandularly-toothed. 
Petals four to five, hypogymous, .alternating ivith the lohes of the calyx, 
twisted in the bud, commonly yellow, and veined, sometimes full of 
black dots. Stamens numerous, usually indefinite, collected together 
at the base into small bundles, very rarely free or monadelphous, with 
long filaments, and yellow, minute, oscillatory anthers. Ovary one, 
free. Styles numerous, but sometimes joined into one. Stigmas 
simple, rarely capitate. Capsules many-valvcd, many-celled; cells 
equalling the styles in number. Central placenta entire, or many- 
parted, fixed to the inflexed margins of the valves. Seeds numerous, 
commonly terete, rarely flat. Integument double, both membranous. 
Embryo straight, with an inferiorradicle, destitute of albumen. (G.Don.) 
Description, &c. — The plants belonging to this order are some of them herbaceous, and some of them 
shrubby ; some of them even attaining the size of trees. They all abound in a yellow resinous juice, so nearly 
approachiiig the gamboge, that one of the species has received the name of the American Gamboge Tree. This 
order may be easily distinguished from the preceding ones by its abounding in a resinous juice. The flowers are 
generally large and showy, and they are produced in great abundance. The principal genus in the order is 
Hypericum. 
GENUS I. 
HYPERICUM Lin. THE ST. JOHN’S WORT. 
Lin. Syst. POLYADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 
Generic Character. — Capsule membranaceous. Stamens nume- 
rous, free, or joined at the base into three or five bundles. Petals 
five. Sepals five, more or less connected at the base, unequal, rarely 
equal. Styles three to five, rarely connate in one, permanent. Cap- 
sule one or many-celled, many-seeded, three to five-valved. Integu- 
ment of seed double. Albumen none. Embryo with the radicle 
situated at the umbilicus, and with semi-cylindrical cotyledons. 
{G. Lon.) 
Description, &c. — All the species belonging to this genus are either herbaceous or sufiruticose. They ai'e i 
natives of various countries, so that some are quite hardy in this country, while others require a greenhouse or a 
stove. The leaves are opposite, and either sessile or with very short footstalks, and they ai’e usually full of 
transparent black dots. The margins of the leaves are also frequently very elegantly fringed. The flowers ai'e 
variously disposed, but they are almost always yellow. 
1.- HYPERICUM MONOGYNUM Lin. THE CHINESE ST. JOHN’S WORT. 
Engravings. — Bot. Mag., t. 334 ; and our Jig. 1, in PI. 14. 
Specific Character. — Stem terete, shrubby. Leaves oblong-oval, 
recurved at the base, somewhat auricled, without dots. Peduncles 
subcorymbose, leafy, bibracteate; bracteas nearly opposite. Sepals 
lanceolate, acutish. Styles five, coadnate, equal in length to the 
stamens and corolla. 
Description, &c. — This plant is a native of China, and it was first introduced into this country in 1753, by 
Hugh Duke of Northumberland. It is a half-hardy greenhouse plant, which if planted in a very warm situation, 
will live in the open air ; and even in that situation it will continue in flower nearly all the summer ; but if kept 
