Beautifulshrubs, natives of the Cape of Good Hope, with the habit of Pimelea, and corymbs of pale pink flowers. The calyx is in two sepals, the stigma four lobed, and the fruit four-valved, with two seeds in each cell.
§ III.—COROLLIFLORÆ.
The plants comprised in this division are called monopetalous, as they have their petals joined together, so as to form a cup for the stamens and pistils quite distinct from the calyx; and the stamens are attached to the corolla.
ORDER CXVII.—EPACRIDEÆ.
Thisorder stands on debateable ground, being by many botanists included in the last division; but it seems properly placed in this,as the stamens are attached to the petals, which adhere together; and if a flower of any species of Epacris be examined, it will be found that the corolla, with the stamens attached to the lining of the tube, parts readily from the calyx without losing its natural form. The flowers are tubular or campanulate, with a five-cleft limb, and will divide readily into five petals, each of which has the filament of a stamen attached to it, leaving only the anthers free. The anthers are one-celled and awnless, and this is the principal distinction between this order and Ericaceæ. The calyx is five-cleft, coloured like the corolla; and there are five scale-like bracts below it, which look like a calyx. The capsule is dry, with the seeds attached to a central column. The leaves are dry, hard, and prickly. The species are natives of Australia, where they supply the place which the Heaths hold in Europe and Africa; no Heath having been yet found in any part of Australia.
ORDER CXVIII.—SYMPLOCINEÆ.
Thisorder contains one genus, Symplocos, of greenhouse and stove shrubs, from South America, with small white flowers, and serrated leaves, which turn yellow in drying.
ORDER CXIX.—STYRACINEÆ.
Theplants in this order best known in English gardens areStyrax officinale, the Storax, andHalesia tetraptera, the Snowdrop-tree. The flowers of both are white; those of Storax are funnel-shaped, with a five-cleft limb; there are ten stamens, growing together at the base, with short filaments, and very long anthers. The fruit is a drupe which is nearly dry, containing a one-celled nut, enclosing from oneFig. 139.—Snowdrop tree(Halesia tetraptera).to three seeds. The seeds have two skins, the inner one like a cobweb, and the outer one spongy. The bark, when wounded, affords the gum called storax. Halesia has drooping bell-shaped white flowers, something like those of the Snowdrop, (seeainfig.139,) with four petals and twelve or sixteen stamens combined into a tube at the base. The fruit is a dry, winged drupe, which has four angles inH. tetraptera(b), and two inH. diptera; and which contains a stone or putamen (c), whichhas two or four cells, and as many seeds. Some botanists make Halesiaceæ a separate order.
ORDER CXX.—MYRSINEÆ.
Showyshrubs, with evergreen leaves, and cymes of white or red flowers, which require a stove or greenhouse in England. The plants belonging to this order may be easily known on cutting open their flowers, as they are the only monopetalous flowers among the stove plants that have the stamens opposite the lobes of the corolla; the general position of the stamens being between the lobes. The principal genera in this order are Myrsine, the species of which are greenhouse shrubs; and Ardisia, the latter being well-known stove shrubs, with white flowers and red berries. Theophrasta, Clavija, and Jacquinia, were included in this order; but they are now formed into a new one, under the name of Theophrasteæ.
ORDER CXXI.—SAPOTEÆ.
Thisorder is best known by the generaArgania,Sideroxylon,Chrysophyllum, andBumelia, all of which are stove or greenhouse plants. The seeds ofAchras Sapotacontain abundance ofoil, which is so concrete as to have the appearance of butter; and hence the tree is called the Butter-tree.Sideroxylonhas such hard wood as to be called the Iron-tree. The juice of all these plants is milky, and the milk is wholesome as food.
ORDER CXXII.—EBENACEÆ.
Theprincipal genus is Diospyros; which contains the Ebony-tree (D. Ebenum), the Date-plum or Lotus-tree (D. Lotos), both natives of the East Indies; and the Persimon (D. virginiana), a native of North America. The species are trees with hard dark wood; that of Ebony is quite black when old, and remarkably heavy. The flowers are white and inconspicuous, and the fruit, which is eatable, but insipid, is a berry, placed in the centre of the calyx, which spreads round it like a saucer. It is very harsh when first gathered, and must be kept till it is half decayed, like the Medlar, before it is eaten.
ORDER CXXIII.—BREXIEÆ.
Largestove trees, with axillary branches of white flowers.
ORDER CXXIV.—OLEINÆ.—(See Chap.VIII. P.136.)
Thisorder comprises the common Ash, the Manna Ash, the Olive, the Privet, the Fringe-tree, the Phillyrea, and the Lilac. The flowers of all have only two stamens, and a roundish two-celled ovary, without any disk. The flowers of the Ash have no corolla, and the fruit is a samara. In the other genera, the flowers are more or less funnel-shaped, and the fruit is a capsule. The leaves are generally pinnate, and always opposite. The seeds have a dense albumen.
ORDER CXXV.—JASMINEÆ.—(See Chap.VIII., P.134.)
Thisorder has been separated from the last, chiefly on account of the seeds having no albumen. The principal genus is the Jasmine, which has a funnel-shaped corolla, and pinnate leaves. Some botanists insert, between Oleaceæ and Jasmineæ, the new order Columellieæ, which contains only one plant,Bolivaria trifida.
ORDER CXXVI.—STRYCHNEÆ.
Tropicaltrees. The principal genusStrychnos, the fruit of which is the well-known poisonous nut,Nux vomica. The genera Theophrasta andFagræa were formerly included in this order; but the first is now placed in the new order, Theophrasteæ (see p.399); and the second is placed in another new order introduced here, and called Potaliaceæ.
ORDER CXXVII.—APOCYNEÆ.
Veryshowy plants from various parts of the world, some of which require a stove in Britain, while others are quite hardy. They also vary in some of them being trees, others erect shrubs or climbers, and others perennial; but they are all easily recognised by the twisted direction of the segments of the corolla, which has been compared to the rays of St. Catharine’s-wheel. The corolla is generally salver-shaped as in the periwinkle (Vinca major), or funnel-shaped, as inTaberna montana, andAllamanda cathartica, or divided into equal segments as inNerium Oleander. The flowers are often bearded in the throat, and furnished with hypogynous scales; with the stamens inclosed in the flower, and the anthers lying close together. The seed is contained in two follicles, which are slender, and have their seeds disposed in two rows. The species all abound in an injurious milky juice; and two of the genera, Cerbera and Tanghina, are virulent poisons.
ORDER CXXVIII.—ASCLEPIADEÆ.
Theseplants are very nearly allied to the last, and they differ chiefly in having the segments of their corollas straight, in their stamens being united into a sort of crown, and in their pollen being found in masses of a waxy substance. The seeds are also each furnished with a tuft of fine long silky hair. The principal plants arePeriploca græca, a hardy, climbing, shrub, with rich, dark, velvet-looking flowers, which are said to be poisonous to flies, andHoya carnosa, a stove or greenhouse climber, with waxen-looking, clustered, odoriferous flowers, distilling honey; to these may be added Pergularia, a stove climber, remarkable for its fragrance, Physianthus, Gonolobus, Ceropegia, and Asclepias, all singular-looking climbing plants; and besides these, I may mention Stapelia, the species of which are dwarf plants, with their flowers hanging down below the pots in which they grow, and the odour of which is so like that of carrion, as to induce flesh-flies to lay their eggs upon them.
ORDER CXXIX.—GENTIANEÆ.—THE GENTIAN TRIBE.
Thebest known genera are Gentiana, (the Gentian), Lisianthus, and Menyanthes (theBuckbean). The flowers have a tubular calyx and corolla, the latter plaited in the tube, and with an equally-parted limb, which is generally five cleft; and an equal number of stamens with broad filaments, and arrow-shaped anthers. The seeds are numerous, and are usually in two follicles.
The orders Spigeliaceæ, Loganiaceæ, and Menyanthaceæ, have been separated from Gentianeæ, and are adopted by some botanists.
ORDER CXXX.—BIGNONIACEÆ.
Themost interesting genera are—Bignonia; from which Tecoma has been divided by some botanists, on account of a slight difference in the seed-pod; Jacaranda, said to produce the rosewood of commerce; Eccremocarpus, and Catalpa. All the plants included in this order have winged seeds, and generally very long horn-like seed-pods. The different species of Bignonia or Tecoma have trumpet-shaped flowers with a five-toothed calyx, and four stamens of unequal length, with the rudiments of a fifth. The capsule is very long and narrow, resembling a silique in shape, but broad on the outside, and the leaves are pinnate.Eccremocarpus, orCalampelis scabra, is a well-known climber, with orange-coloured, bag-like flowers, which are produced in secund racemes; large, roundish wartedfruit, with winged seeds; and pinnate leaves, with tendrils. In Catalpa the corolla has a very short tube, and an unequal, five-lobed limb. There are five stamens (only two of which are fertile); and an exceeding long, cylindrical, silique-shaped seed-pod, which is sometimes two feet or more in length. The leaves of the Catalpa are heart-shaped. In Jacaranda, the capsule is above two feet long, and quite flat.Crescentia cujète, the calabash-tree, belongs to this order.
ORDER CXXXI.—COBÆACEÆ.
Thisorder is restricted to one genus Cobæa, of which one species (C. scandens) is common in British gardens. This plant is an annual climber, with showy bell-shaped flowers, which are first green, and afterwards become purple. This plant has remarkably long tendrils, which twist themselves round any thing that comes in their way.
ORDERS CXXXII. AND CXXXIII.—PEDALINEÆ AND SESAMEÆ.
Theseorders are now united into one, under the name of Pedalineæ; and the most interesting genus is Martynia, consisting of half hardy annual plants with bell-shaped flowers, and very curious seed-pods.
ORDER CXXXIV.—POLEMONIACEÆ.
Thisis a very interesting order to the lovers of ornamental flowers, from the beauty of those of some of the genera. The genus Polemonium, the Greek Valerian, has one species (P. cœruleum) which is found wild in many parts of England, and is known by the names of Charity and Jacob’s Ladder. The corolla, which is of a deep blue, softening into white in the centre, is rotate, with the stamens, which are bearded at the base, inserted in the throat. The capsule is three-celled, and many-seeded, as is generally the case with plants in this order, and the leaves are pinnate. The Phloxes are well-known; all the species are very handsome, but none are more so than the beautiful annual (P. Drummondi). The corolla of these plants is salver-shaped, with an elongated tube, the limb twisted in the bud, and wedge-shaped segments. The stamens are inserted above the middle of the tube, and the cells of the capsule are one-seeded. Leptosiphon has the corolla funnel-shaped, with a very long slender tube, and a campanulate limb with oval lobes; the corolla is covered with a great number of fine glandular hairs, and the limb is twisted in the bud. The stamens, which have very short filaments, are inserted in the throat of the corolla. The calyxconsists of five sharply-pointed hairy lobes, connected by a very fine membrane. The flowers are surrounded by a great number of sharply-pointed bracts. Similar bracts are very conspicuous in the genus Collomia. Gilia and Ipomopsis, so well known for their splendid flowers, also belong to this order.
ORDER CXXXV.—HYDROLEACEÆ.
Elegantlittle plants, distinguished from the preceding order by the flowers having two styles, and a two-valved capsule. Retziaceæ, an order containing only one Cape plant, is inserted here by some botanists, who have separated it from Convolvulaceæ.
ORDER CXXXVI.—CONVOLVULACEÆ.
Theprincipal genera are Convolvulus, Ipomœa and their allies. The genus Convolvulus formerly included all the beautiful monopetalous flowers with a folded limb, which are so common in gardens, but it is now restricted to those which have a two-celled capsule, with the cells two-seeded; the stamens are inclosed in the corolla, and the stigma is divided into two narrow thread-like lobes. Ipomœa only differs in having the lobes of the stigma capitate. In Quamoclit,the little scarlet Ipomœa, the capsule is four-celled, and the cells one-seeded; the corolla is tubular, and the stamens project beyond the throat. Batatas, the Sweet-potato, resembles Quamoclit, but the corolla is campanulate, and the stamens are inclosed. In Pharbitis (in which genus the common Convolvulus major, and the beautiful Ipomœa Learii, are both now included), the capsule is three-celled, and the cells are three-seeded; and in Calystigia, in which is now placed the common bindweed of the hedges, the capsule is one-celled and four-seeded; and the flower, which in other respects agrees with that of the genus Convolvulus, has two bracts which serve as a sort of involucre. All these flowers have the lobes of the corolla marked with a decided fold or plait, and they are climbing plants, generally annuals. Cuscuta is a parasite belonging to Convolvulaceæ, which though it springs from the ground, withers just above the root as soon as it has twined itself round any plant within its reach; drawing its entire nourishment from the unfortunate plant it has attacked, and which it soon kills. The plants in this order produce an acrid milk; and the roots of a kind of Convolvulus yield the drug called Jalap, which takes that name from the Mexican city Xalapa, near which it is grown.
ORDER CXXXVII.—BORAGINEÆ.
Thefruit of the plants included in this order consists of four distinct carpels, each containing a bony nut. These nuts frequently appear as though a hole had been bored in them at the base, and they are frequently striped or twisted. The flowers are generally secund, or rather they are produced in spikes which appear to have flowers only on one side, from the spikes being curiously rolled up before the flowers expand, and uncoiling gradually as they open. The corolla is generally salver or funnel shaped, with a five-lobed limb, and five little scales just within the throat, which appear to be placed there to close up the orifice. There are five anthers, which seem attached to the corolla, without any stamens, and a slender style terminating in a two-lobed stigma. The calyx is tubular, and remains on the fruit till ripe; the teeth of the calyx contracting at the point, so as to cover the ripe carpels. The principal genera are Pulmonaria (Lungwort), Symphytum (Comfrey), Cerinthe (Honeywort), Lithospermum (Gromwell), Echium (Viper’s Bugloss), Anchusa (Bugloss); Myosotis (Scorpion-grass or Mouse-ear), one species of which,M. palustris, is the Forget-me-not; Omphalodes (Venus’ Navelwort), Cynoglossum (Hound’s-tongue), and Heliotropium (the Heliotrope).
ORDER CXXXVIII.—CORDIACEÆ.
East Indiatrees and shrubs of which Ehretia is, perhaps, the best known. Nearly allied to Boragineæ.
ORDER CXXXIX.—HYDROPHYLLEÆ.
Thisorder is interesting from its containing Phacelia, Eutoca, and Nemophila, all well known Californian annuals.
ORDER CXL.—SOLANACEÆ (see Chap.IX. P.141).
Thegenera Verbascum and Celsia have been removed from this order, and formed by some botanists into another called Verbascinæ, though by Dr. Lindley they are included in Scrophularinæ. The plants left in the order Solanaceæ have all a tubular calyx, which remains on the fruit till it is ripe; and the fruit itself is generally round and fleshy, with two or four cells and numerous seeds. In some of the genera, the permanent calyx looks like a capsule, but on opening it, the little berry-like fruit will be found inside. There are five stamens, the anthers of which are two-celled like those of most other plants, and the filaments are inserted in the corolla, which is generally partly tubularwith a spreading limb, the segments of which are plaited, that is, each bears the crease of a fold in the middle, as may be seen in the Petunia. In the order Verbascinæ, the corolla is rotate, and the segments are not plaited; the anthers also are only one-celled. Most of the plants belonging to Solanaceæ are poisonous in a raw state; but they lose their deleterious qualities when cooked.
ORDER CXLI.—SCROPHULARINÆ.
TheFoxglove is generally taken as the type of this order, and it has a tubular corolla (seeain fig. 140) with a short limb (b), and a spreading calyx (c). There are four stamens of unequal length inserted on the base of the corollaFig. 140.—Foxglove(Digitalis).and hidden in its tube; and an oblong ovary (d), with a long style, and a two-lobed stigma (e). The fruit is a dry capsule with two cells, and numerous seeds. The flowers of the other genera are very irregular. In the Snapdragon, the corolla is what is called personate; and in the Calceolaria the lower lip is curiously inflated.The stamens also differ. In most of the genera there are four, but in Pentstemon there is a fifth, long and slender, and hairy at the point, but without any anther; and in Calceolaria and Veronica there are only two. Among the genera included in this order may be mentioned Buddlea, the flowers of which grow in ball-like heads; Paulownia, Maurandya, Mimulus, Alonsoa, and Collinsia. The Toadflax (Linaria), and several other British plants belong to it; but the Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus), and some other allied plants, have been formed into a new order called Rhinanthaceæ; Chelone and Pentstemon have been formed into an order called Chelonaceæ; and Sibthorpia, Disandra, &c., into one called Sibthorpiaceæ. Trevirana or Achimenes, and Columnea, are removed to Gesneriaceæ.
The new order Cyrtandraceæ, including Æschynanthus, Streptocarpus or Didymocarpus, Fieldia, and Amphicoma, is introduced here: the first and last of these genera are new, and the others were formerly included in Bignoniaceæ.
ORDER CXLII.—LABIATÆ.
Fig. 141.—A Labiate Flower.
Fig. 142.—Black Horehound(Ballota nigra).
Theplants belonging to this order include Mint, Sage, Thyme, and other kitchen aromatic plants, and several well-known British weeds.They are all distinguished by a tubular, bilabiate corolla with a projecting under lip (seeain fig. 141). In some plants the corolla is ringent, as shown in fig. 142, taken from Dr. Lindley’sLadies’ Botany, in whichais the galea or helmet, andbthe lower lip, which is three-lobed. There are four stamens, two of which are longer than the others, and the cells of the anthers differ from those of most other plants in spreading widely apart from each other, each being joined to the filament only at the tip. The pistil consists of four distinct carpels (c), a very long style lobed at the tip, and furnished with a very small stigma at the tip of each lobe (d). The flowers of some of the plants belonging to this order are disposed in a whorl roundthe stem; as, for example, those of the Dead Nettle (Lamium). Among the other plants belonging to the order may be mentioned the Bugle (Ajuga), and the Ground Ivy (Glechoma), both common but very pretty British weeds.
ORDER CXLIII.—VERBENACEÆ.—THE VERVAIN TRIBE.
Thegenus Verbena is well known, from the many beautiful species now common in every greenhouse. The fruit is two or four celled, and a drupe or a berry, and the calyx of the flowers is tubular, and persistent round it; but the corolla is deciduous, and falls off long before the fruit is ripe. In the genus Verbena the calyx is tubular, with five distinct angles, ending in five teeth. The corolla has a cylindrical tube nearly double the length of the calyx, and a flat limb divided into five unequal segments, which are wedge-shaped and notched, the central one of the lower three appearing to have been slightly pinched; the throat of the corolla is hairy. There are four stamens, two longer than the others, the anthers having two widely-spreading lobes, as in the Labiatæ. The style is slender below, and thickest in the upper part; and the stigma is two-lobed. The leaves are opposite, and furnished with stipulesThe flowers form a corymb in the Scarlet Verbena, and a spike in some of the other kinds, which elongates gradually as the flowers expand. The principal other genera are Clerodendron, or Volkameria, Vitex (the Chaste-tree), Lantana, Aloysia (the Lemon-scented Verbena), and Tectona (the Teak) which is so much used in the East Indies for ship-building.
ORDER CXLIV.—MYOPORINÆ.
Australianand Polynesian plants, nearly allied to Verbenaceæ. The principal genera are Myoporum and Avicennia, the White Mangrove of Brazil.
ORDER CXLV.—ACANTHACEÆ.
Theseplants are known by the elastic opening of the capsules, which are two-celled, and the hooked points of the seeds by which they are attached to the placenta. The calyx remains on the ripe fruit, but in most of the plants it is so extremely small as to be inconspicuous, and its place is supplied by three large leafy bracts. The corolla varies considerably, being sometimes two-lipped as in Justicia, sometimes funnel-shaped as in Ruellia,and sometimes campanulate, with a spreading five-cleft limb, as in Thunbergia. There are only two stamens in Justicia and some of the other genera, but in Thunbergia, Acanthus, and Ruellia, there are four of unequal length, inclosed within the throat of the corolla. The ovary is imbedded in the disk, and it is two or many seeded; the style is simple, and the stigma one or two lobed.
ORDER CXLVI.—OROBANCHEÆ.
Leaflessparasites, with brown or colourless scaly stems and flowers. The genera are Lathræa and Orobanche.
ORDER CXLVII.—LENTIBULARIÆ.
Prettylittle marsh plants, natives of Europe and North America. Pinguicula has very much the appearance of a violet, and the Utricularias are floating plants.
ORDER CXLVIII.—PRIMULACEÆ, THE PRIMROSE TRIBE.
Theplants belonging to this order are easily known by the stamens, or rather anthers, forthey have scarcely any filaments, being affixed to the corolla in the centre of the lobes, instead of being alternate to them, and by the capsule, though five or ten ribbed, being only one-celled, with a central placenta, to which the seeds are attached. The calyx remains on the ripe fruit. In the genus Primula (the Primrose), the calyx is tubular, and strongly marked with five distinct angles, which end in as many teeth; and the corolla is salver-shaped, with a contraction in the tube, at the insertion of the stamens, the five segments of the limb being wedge-shaped and notched. The style is slender, and the stigma capitate. The capsule opens naturally by ten teeth, which curl back. The Cyclamen, or Sow-bread, one of the genera belonging to this order, has the lobes of the corolla bent back; and when the flower falls, the peduncle coils up in a most curious manner, so as to bury the seed-vessel in the earth. These plants have tuberous roots, which are so acrid as only to be eaten by the wild-boars. The seed-vessel of the Pimpernel (Anagallis) resembles a round case with a lid, which may be taken off, when it displays a great number of seeds, so closely packed, that no room is lost. The principal other genera are theAmerican Cowslip (Dodecatheon), Bear’s-ear Sanicle (Cortusa),Soldanella, the Water Violet (Hootonia), and Loosestrife (Lysimachia).
ORDER CXLIX.—GLOBULARIÆ.
Prettyalpine plants, with blue flowers.
ORDER CL.—PLUMBAGINEÆ.
Thisorder probably belongs to Monochlamydeæ. The principal genera are Sea Lavender (Statice), remarkable for the coloured footstalks of the flowers; Thrift (Armeria); and Leadwort (Plumbago). The corolla in these plants is either monopetalous, with the stamens free from the corolla and growing from beneath the pistil, or with five petals, to which the stamens are attached. There are five styles and five stigmas, but only a one-celled and one-seeded ovary. The fruit is thin and dry. The pedicels of all the species of the Sea Lavender, particularly ofStatice arborea, are often mistaken for the flowers.
PHANEROGAMOUS PLANTS—DICOTYLEDONEÆ.—II. MONACHLAMYDEÆ.
Inall the plants contained in this division, the stamens and pistils have either no floral covering, or only one; and as, when this is the case, the covering is called the calyx, the plants in this division are said to have no corolla. Some botanists think that the calyx and corolla have become intermixed, so as to form only one covering, which they call the perianth; a word applied to the calyx and corolla together.
ORDER CLI.—PLANTAGINEÆ.
Theweed called Plantain, or Rib-grass, is well known to all persons who keep birds, as it is a food that cage-birds are very fond of. It is conspicuous by its strongly-ribbed leaves, which form a flat tuft on the ground, and by the large arrow-shaped anthers of its four stamens, which hang on very slender filaments. The flowers are arranged in dense spikes, and are green and inconspicuous.
ORDER CLII.—NYCTAGINEÆ.
TheMarvel of Peru (Mirabilis Jalapa), and the other species of that genus, are the only ornamental plants belonging to this order. The flowers consist of a coloured calyx, surrounded by a five-toothed involucre, which greatly resembles a calyx. The true calyx is funnel-shaped, with a spreading limb, the lobes of which are plaited, and notched at the margin; and which, with the tubular part, form at the base a globular swelling, which incloses the ovary. The stamens grow from beneath the pistil, adhering together at the base, so as to form a kind of cup. The ovary contains only one seed; and the style is long and slender, terminating in a capitate stigma, divided into a number of tubercles or warts. The lower part of the calyx remains on the ripe fruit, hardening into a kind of shell.
ORDER CLIII.—AMARANTHACEÆ.
Theflowers of the plants belonging to this order are either in spikes, like Love-lies-bleeding (Amarantus caudatus), in heads like the Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), or in a singular crest-like shape, like the Cock’s-comb (Celosia cristata). In all, the flowers have no corolla,and only a very thin and dry calyx, which is surrounded by hard, thin, dry bracts, of the same colour, each ending in a long point. There are generally five anthers, and two or three styles, with pointed stigmas; but the capsule contains only one cell and one seed; and when ripe, it divides horizontally in the middle, like the capsule of the Pimpernel.
ORDER CLIV.—PHYTOLACEÆ.
Herbaceousplants and shrubs, with racemes of red, white, or greenish flowers. Phytolacca is the principal genus; and one species, the Virginian Poke (Phytolacca decandra) is remarkable for being found wild in climates so different as Spain and Portugal, the north of Africa, Jamaica, and North America. The flowers are greenish, tinged with red, and they are followed by very dark purple berries, which are said to have been formerly used for colouring port wine, but the juice having medicinal qualities, their use in Portugal is now prohibited. Rivina belongs to this order.
ORDER CLV.—CHENOPODEÆ.
Theplants belonging to this order bear considerable resemblance to those included in theorder Amaranthaceæ, but their flowers are disposed in loose clusters without bracts, and all their parts are fleshy; while the flowers of the Amaranthaceæ are disposed in dense spikes with bracts, which, as well as the divisions of the flowers, are quite hard and dry. The stamens are five in number, and they are spread out like those of the Nettle tribe; there are two styles with hairy stigmas, and the capsule resembles the Echinus, or Sea Urchin. The principal genera in this order are,—Spinach (Spinacea), Red and White Beet (Beta vulgaris), Mangold Wurtzel (B. altissima), Chard Beet (B. cicla), the Strawberry Blite (Blitum), Fat-hen or Goosefoot (Chenopodium); Glasswort, the ashes of which are used in making glass (Salicornia), Saltwort (Salsola Kali, orSoda), from the ashes of which soda is prepared; and the Garden Orache (Atriplex hortensis). The leaves of all the species are somewhat succulent and pulpy, and they are frequently stained with brilliant colours.
ORDER CLVI.—BEGONIACEÆ.
Theonly genus in this tribe is Begonia, the plants belonging to which have pretty flowers, and strongly-veined leaves, which are crimson on the lower side, with one half smallerthan the other, and each furnished with a pair of large stipules. The flowers are male and female; the first consist of four sepals, two of which are much longer than the others, and a beard of anthers, with the filaments united into one common stalk, and each anther containing two cells for pollen. The female flowers have five sepals; the lower part is thick and fleshy, having three unequal wings. This part becomes the capsule, and it is furnished with three stigmas, each of which has two curiously-twisted lobes. The capsule when ripe has three wings, one much longer than the others; and it is in three cells, each containing a central placenta with a double row of seeds, which are covered with a beautifully reticulated skin.
ORDER CLVII.—POLYGONEÆ.—THE BUCKWHEAT.
Thisorder comprehends the Rhubarb (Rheum), the Dock (Rumex obtusifolius), Sorrel (R. acetosa), the Buckwheat (Polygonum Fagopyrum), Persicaria (P. orientale), Water-pepper (P. hydropiper), and Knot-grass (P. aviculare). The leaves of these plants either sheath the stem with the base of their petioles, or are furnished with ochreæ, that is, with stipules which are joined together so as to form a kind of purse or boot. The flowers are inconspicuous,and the fruit is a triangular nut, retaining the calyx till it is ripe. The genera Eriogonum, Calligonum, and Kœnigia, formerly included in this order, are now formed into another, called Eriogoneæ.
ORDER CLVIII.—LAURINEÆ.—THE SWEET-BAY TRIBE.
Theseplants are known by their anthers, which are two or four celled, with the valves curling upwards when ripe, like those of the Berberry, and the filaments are furnished near the base with two kidney-shaped glands. The male and female flowers are distinct; the former have six, eight, or twelve stamens, and a calyx of four or six divisions united at the base. The female flowers have a one-celled and one-seeded ovary, with a simple style, and an obtuse-crested stigma; and four or more abortive stamens, furnished with glands, but without anthers. The most interesting plants contained in this order are,—the Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis), the Sassafras-tree (L. Sassafras, orSassafras officinale), the Cinnamon-tree (L. Cinnamomum, orCinnamomum verum, orzeylanicum); the Camphor-tree (L. camphora, orCamphora officinarum); and the Alligator Pear (L. Persea, orPersea gratissima). All the plants belonging to this order are aromatic, either in the leaves, bark, or fruit.
Twosmall orders, Illigereæ and Hemandiaceæ, containing Indian plants rarely met with in England, are introduced here by some botanists.
ORDER CLIX.—MYRISTICEÆ.
Theonly interesting plant in this order is the Nutmeg (M. officinale, ormoschata). In this plant, the fruit is pear-shaped, and it consists of a half-fleshy pericardium enclosing a jet-black stone, encircled by a fleshy orange-red arillus, which is the mace. The nutmeg is the kernel of the stone, and it is not taken out for sale till it is sufficiently ripe to rattle when shaken. The leaves are of a dark green above, and glaucous beneath; and the flowers are white, with the red pistil conspicuous in the centre. The tree is a native of Ceylon and the East Indian Islands, and it requires a stove in England.
ORDER CLX.—PROTEACEÆ.
Theprincipal genera are Protea, Banksia, Dryandra, and Grevillea, all very singular plants, the species of which, when one of each genus has been seen, are easily recognised. They are all natives of the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland.
ORDER CLXI.—THYMELÆÆ.
Thisorder is well known from the Mezereon and the Spurge Laurel, both common garden shrubs belonging to the genus Daphne. The berries of both are poisonous, and the bark acrid. The flowers of the Mezereon (D. Mezereum) have a coloured calyx, which is tubular, with a four-cleft limb (seefig.143), which is slightly hairy on the outer surface, and pittedFig. 143.—A flower of Mezereon.on the inner one. It is said that this calyx will separate readily into two, the inner part peeling off like a lining: but I have never been able to effect this without tearing the outer covering. There are eight anthers, with scarcely any filaments, affixed in two rows to the throat of the corolla; and an egg-shaped ovary, with a tufted stigma without any style. The fruit is a drupe, that is, formed like a plum, with a fleshy pericardium, enclosing a stone or nut, the kernel of which is the seed, and which sometimes appears to be partially enveloped in a sort of hairy bag, which is the lining of the ovary become loose. The flowers of the Mezereon grow round the stem, with a tuft of leaves at the top; but those of the Spurge Laurel (D. Laureola) are in a cluster ofshort drooping racemes. The most remarkable species of the genus is, however, the Lace Bark-tree of Jamaica (D. Lagetto, orLagetta lintearia), the liber or inner bark of which has such tough fibres as to bear stretching out considerably without breaking; and in this state it resembles lace so much, that a collar and ruffles were made of it and sent to Charles II. Gnidia, a greenhouse plant, has little scales in the mouth of the calyx; and Pimelea has the flowers in heads, surrounded by a four-leaved involucre. The principal other genera are Lachnæa, a little Australian plant with woolly flowers, Passerina or Sparrow-wort, and Struthiola. The curious little tree called Leatherwood (Dirca palustris) also belongs to this order.
ORDER CLXII.—OSYRIDEÆ.
Exotictrees with white or greenish flowers. The only genera are the Poet’s Cassia (Osyris), and a genus of Australian plants called Exocarpos.
ORDER CLXIII.—SANTALACEÆ.
Themost interesting plant is the Sandal-wood tree (Santalum album), which requires a stove in England; but the North American trees belonging to the genus Nyssa, including the Tupelotree and the Ogechee Lime, are quite hardy. The flowers are small and insignificant; and the fruit is a drupe.
ORDER CLXIV.—ELÆAGNEÆ.
Thethree genera included in this order are the Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae), the Oleaster (Elæagnus), and the Shepherdia; all so easily recognised by their silvery foliage, as to need no particular description. The flowers are small and inconspicuous.
ORDER CLXV.—ASARINEÆ, OR ARISTOLOCHIEÆ.
Thegenus Aristolochia, or Birthwort, is remarkable for the very singular shape of its flowers, which are as strange, and as much varied, as it is possible for the wildest imagination to conceive. The flowers are tubular, with one lip much longer than the other; and the tube takes an abrupt bend near the middle. Here are six anthers, fixed very curiously on the outside of a club-shaped column, split into six lobes at the point. In the centre of this column is a style with a six-rayed stigma; and the fruit is a large capsule with six cells, which opens by as many slits, and discharges the numerous thin, flat, dark brown seeds.
Asarum canadense, the Wild Ginger of NorthAmerica, has kidney-shaped leaves, and dark purplish brown flowers, on very short footstalks, which resemble those of the genus Stapelia, both in appearance and smell.
ORDER CLXVI.—CYTINEÆ.
Themost interesting plant in this order isNepenthes distillatoria, the Chinese Pitcher-plant, the leaves of which have a tendril at the point curiously dilated at the extremity, so as to form a cup-like appendage, which is generally full of water. The rim of the pitcher is beautifully ribbed, and it is furnished with a lid. The male and female flowers are on different plants, but neither of them possess much beauty. The remarkable Javanese fungus Rafflesia belongs to this order.
A small order called Cephaloteæ, and containing only the genus Cephalotis, formerly included in Rosaceæ, is introduced here.
ORDER CLXVII.—EUPHORBIACEÆ.
Thegenus Euphorbia is well known by the British weed called Caper Spurge, and the showy stove plants which belong to it. The male and female flowers are distinct; but both are inclosed in one cup-like involucre. Infig.144,ais theinvolucre,bthe female flower, andcthe male ones. The fruit (fig.145) consists of three carpels, each containing a single seed, which divide with elasticity when the seeds are ripe. All the plants belonging to this order have a milky, glutinous juice when young, which in some genera becomes solid when exposed to the air. This is particularly the case with Siphonia Hevea, a Brazilian tree, the sap of which yields the Indian rubber used for Macintosh cloaks, &c.; it being more suitable for that purpose than the caoutchouc yielded by theFicus elastica, which is the true Indian Rubber. The principal other genera belonging to this order are the Box (Buxus), the tree kind of which yields the wood used for wood-engraving, and the dwarf variety is employed as edging for gardens; Croton, an annual species of which (Croton Tiglium) yields the celebrated Croton oil; the Cassava (Jatropha Manihot), which though poisonous in a raw state, becomes the wholesome food called tapioca, when properlyprepared; Palma Christi (Ricinis communis), from the seeds of which castor-oil is made; and the Manchineel tree (Hippomane), which is said to be so poisonous as to occasion the death of those who sleep beneath its shade.
ORDER CLXVIII.—STACKHOUSEÆ.
SmallAustralian shrubs with insignificant flowers.
ORDER CLXIX.—ANTIDESMEÆ.
East-Indiantrees with inconspicuous flowers.
ORDER CLXX.—URTICEÆ.—(See Chap.X. P.157.)
Theplants belonging to this order are divided into two sections, viz. those with tough fibres, as the Hemp, the Nettle, &c.; and those with milky sap, such as the Fig, the Mulberry, the Bread-fruit, &c. All the genera have the male and female flowers separate. The male flowers have four stamens which spring back and discharge their pollen with elasticity, and the female flowers have a one-celled ovary with two long stigmas.
ORDER CLXXI.—ULMACEÆ.
Theprincipal genera are the Elm (Ulmus), the Nettle-tree (Celtis), and the Zelkoua-tree (Planera). The flowers, though very small, are pretty, from their opening in clusters before the leaves; and each has four stamens, with dark purple anthers, and is furnished with dark brown bracts. The fruit is a utricle, having a single seed, encircled by a broad thin transparent membrane. The leaves are rough, and their sides are unequal at the base. The bark of Elm trees is rough and deeply furrowed; and the roots spread, instead of penetrating deeply into the ground like those of the Oak.
ORDER CLXXII.—PIPERACEÆ.
Thespecies are generally climbing plants with perfect flowers, which are produced in spikes, and are succeeded by one-seeded berries. The genus Piper contains the common Pepper (P. nigrum), the Betel (P. Betel), and several other species.
ORDER CLXXIII.—JUGLANDACEÆ.—(See Chap.XI. P.176.)
Themale and female flowers are distinct, but on the same plant. The male flowers are produced on long thick anthers, and each consists of a scale-like calyx enclosing numerous stamens; the female flowers are two or more together, and each consists of a scale-like calyx, enclosing a one-celled ovary. The fruit is a drupe, that is, it consists of a fleshy husk enclosing a nut. The embryo fills the whole seed; and the cotyledons are fleshy, two-lobed, and wrinkled. There are only two genera, the Walnut (Juglans), the male catkins of which are produced singly, and the Hickory (Carya), the male catkins of which are in clusters.
ORDER CLXXIV.—AMENTACEÆ.—(See Chap.XI. P.174).
Themale flowers are in catkins, and the fruit of most of the genera is, when ripe, partially or wholly enclosed in a cup-like involucre, formed by the adhesion of the numerous bracts.
ORDER CLXXV.—HAMAMELIDEÆ.
Thisorder has been already inserted, p.380.
ORDER CLXXVI.—EMPETREÆ.
Littleheath-like plants, with small flowers and showy berries. The Crowberry,Empetrum nigrum, is very common in Scotland on heaths.
ORDER CLXXVII.—CONIFERÆ. (See Chap.XII. P.205.)
The male and female flowers are both produced in catkins, and both consist only of scales. The pollen of the male flowers is very abundant, and is discharged freely in fine weather. The female flowers form cones, consisting of numerous scales, at the base of each of which are two winged seeds. The timber abounds in resin.
ORDER CLXXVIII.-CYCADEÆ. (See Chap.XII. P.229.)
Thesesingular plants have thick timber-like trunks, yet they can hardly be called trees, as they increase in height by a single terminal bud. The leaves are pinnate, and they unroll, when they expand, like those of the ferns. The male flowers are in cones, and the female ones either in cones, or produced on the margin of contracted leaves. The principal genera are Zamia and Cycas, and one species of the latter yields a kind of sago; the true kind being a product of a species of Palm.
PHANEROGAMOUS PLANTS.—MONOCOTYLEDONEÆ.
Allthe trees belonging to this division are natives of tropical countries; and they, as well as all the herbaceous plants belonging to it, are distinguished by the veins of their leaves being never branched, but principally in parallel lines. These plants are re-divided into those with a perianth, which are called the Petaloideæ, and in which are included the Orchidaceæ and the bulbous-rooted plants; and those without a perianth, which are called Glumaceæ, and in which are included the grasses, and sedges.
§ I.—PETALOIDEÆ.
ORDER CLXXIX.—HYDROCHARIDEÆ.—THE FROG’S BIT TRIBE.
Aquaticplants, two of which are of very curious construction. In Vallisneria, the male and female flowers are on different plants, and the buds of the female flowers rise on long spiral stalks, which gradually uncoil, till the flower appears above the surface of the water,where it expands. The male flowers are produced on separate plants at the bottom, but, before they expand, they detach themselves from the soil, and rise up to the surface, where they float till the flowers have opened, and the pollen has fallen on the stigmas of the female flowers, after which the male flowers wither, and the female ones coil up their stalks again to ripen the seed-vessels at the bottom. This curious arrangement is necessary, because the pollen should be dry when it falls on the stigmas; and nearly a similar arrangement takes place with the Fresh-water Soldier (Stratiotes). The Frog’s Bit (Hydrocharis morsus ranæ) is a floating plant, with pretty white flowers.Damosonium indicumis a very handsome water-plant, with white flowers and winged stems.
ORDER CLXXX.—ALISMACEÆ.—THE WATER PLANTAIN TRIBE.
Theprincipal genera in this order are Alisma, Sagittaria, and Actinocarpus, all common British aquatic plants. The Water Plantain (Alisma plantago) has ribbed leaves, and a loose panicle of small pinkish flowers, which have a permanent calyx of three sepals, a corolla of three petals, six stamens, and numerous carpels, which grow close together so as to form ahead, as in the Ranunculus tribe.A. natans, which is generally found on lakes in the mountainous districts of Wales and Cumberland, has rather large white flowers, with a yellow spot at the base of each petal. The flower-stalks rise high above the water, and the flowers expand in the months of July and August. The common Arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia) has curiously-shaped leaves, resembling the head of an arrow. The flowers are white, and resemble those ofA. natans; but they have a pink spot at the base, and there are numerous stamens. The flowers are in whorls, and those in the upper whorls are generally destitute of carpels. The common Star-fruit (Actinocarpus damsonium) has only six carpels, which are so arranged as to form a star-like fruit when ripe.
ORDER CLXXXI.—BUTOMEÆ.—THE FLOWERING RUSH TRIBE.
Theflowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) is certainly the handsomest of the British aquatic plants. The flowers are rose-coloured, crimson, or white; and they are produced in large erect umbels. The calyx and the corolla are generally of the same colour, and in three divisions each; there are nine stamens and six capsules, which are many-seeded. The leaves are triangular or flat.Limnocharis Plumieriis a very handsome Brazilian aquatic belonging to this order.
ORDER CLXXXII.—JUNCAGINEÆ.—THE ARROWGRASS TRIBE.
Insignificantbog plants, with grassy leaves, and central spikes or racemes of greenish yellow flowers.
ORDER CLXXXIII.—ORCHIDACEÆ.
Theplants belonging to this order may be divided into two kinds, those that grow in the earth, and those which require to have their roots suspended in the air; the latter being the beautiful tropical plants called Orchideous Epiphytes. Most of the terrestrial Orchidaceæ are British plants belonging to several genera, the most curious of which are Orchis, Habenaria, Ophrys, Aceras, Nœttia, Epipactis, and Malaxis. Nearly all the British Orchidaceæ have tuberous roots, which remain above ground, a new tuber being formed every year. The leaves are alternate, with an entire margin, without any footstalk, and sheathing the stem at the base. The flowers are produced in a spike, furnished with bracts, and though they are very irregular in their forms, there are certain particulars in which they all agree. Though in reality sessile, they appear to have each a footstalk, but this footstalk is only the long twisted ovary (cinfig.146), which is one-celledFig. 146.—Orchis Morio.and many-seeded, and which serves to support the calyx and corolla of the flower, which are both above it. The calyx consists of three sepals, one of which has the appearance of a hood (a), and the others (b b) look like wings. The petals are very disproportionate in their size; two are generally very small, and are only seen peeping beneath the hood of the calyx; while the third (d), which is called the labellum, or lip, is very large, and hangs down. In the centre of the flower is a singular mass, called the column, composed of the stamens and pistil, grown together (seeainfig.147). In this column there is one perfectFig. 147.—Pollen Masses of the Orchis.anther (b), and two imperfect ones (c c). The perfect anther consists of a pouch or bag, which, when opened, displays two stalked masses of globular pollen, one of which (d) is pulleddown to show its appearance, while the other remains in its case at (e). The stigma is a sort of cup half full of a glutinous fluid, but it appears entirely shut out from the pollen, which is not only enclosed in its pouch or bag, but is of such a solid waxy nature as to prevent any possibility of its being carried by wind or insects to the stigma. Nature, however, has contrived a means of obviating the difficulty. At the foot of each stalk of the pollen masses, there is a little protuberance, covering a gland, through which the pollen descends to the stigma, and thence to the ovary or germen.
The different genera are distinguished, partly by the manner in which the granules of the pollen adhere together, and partly by the shape of the flowers; and their different species vary principally in the form of the labellum. In the genera Orchis and Habenaria, the labellum is drawn out behind into a kind of spur (seeeinfig.146); and in others it assumes strange shapes, as in the Man Orchis (Aceras anthropophora), where the labellum looks like a little man; and in the Lizard Orchis (A.orOrchis hircina) where the labellum is drawn out into a long tail, which looks like the tail and long body of the lizard, while the petals, which are long and narrow and bent back, look like the hind legs. In the genus Ophrys, the labellumalso takes strange shapes, sometimes resembling a bee, at others a fly, and at others a spider. In the genus Cypripedium, the two side stamens bear anthers and pollen, and only the central one is imperfect.
In the orchideous epiphytes the same general construction prevails, but the forms of the flowers are still more varied and fantastic. All of them have pseudo bulbs above ground, which serve as substitutes for the tubers of the terrestrial species.
ORDER CLXXXIV.—SCITAMINEÆ.
Thisorder contains several plants, well known for their useful properties, as for example, the Ginger (Zingiber officinale), and the Turmeric (Curcuma Zerumbet). Some of the plants grow tall and reed-like, as for example in Hedychium. Most of the genera have a creeping underground stem, called a rhizoma, which is often jointed. The flowers are produced in spathe like bracts; the calyx is tubular, and adheres to the ovary; and the corolla, which is also tubular, has six segments arranged in two rows; the inner row, which is supposed to consist of the dilated filaments of abortive stamens, has one of the segments, called the labellum, larger than the rest. There are three stamens, twoof which are abortive, as in the Orchidaceæ; but the pollen does not cohere in masses, and it is not inclosed in a kind of pouch or bag. The ovary is three-celled (though the cells are sometimes imperfect), and many-seeded; the style is filiform, and the stigma is dilated and hollow. The fruit is generally a capsule; but in some cases it is a berry.
ORDER CLXXXV.—CANNEÆ.
Themost interesting genera are—Canna, containing reed-like plants with brilliant flowers; as, for example,C. indica, the Indian Shot;Thalia, a curious aquatic; andMaranta, the tubers of which furnish India Arrowroot. The flowers in their construction greatly resemble those of the preceding order; but the filaments of the stamens are petal-like, and it is one of the side stamens that is perfect, the middle and the other side stamens being always abortive. The fruit is always capsular.
ORDER CLXXXVI.—MUSACEÆ.
Thegenus Musa is known by its fruit, which is eaten under the names of Plantain and Banana. The flowers are produced in spikes, enclosed in spathe-like bracts, which are oftenrichly coloured; and they are succeeded by the fruit, which hang down in massive spikes of enormous weight. The leaves are very large and strong, and Indian muslin is manufactured from the fibres of one of the species. The principal other genera, Strelitzia and Heliconia, are both remarkable for the brilliant colours of their flowers.
ORDER CLXXXVII.—IRIDACEÆ.
Theprincipal genera belonging to this order are—Iris, Moræa, Marica, Vieusseuxia, Homeria, Sisyrinchium, Patersonia, Witsenia, Ferraria, Tigridia, Babiana, Watsonia, Gladiolus, Sparaxis, Tritonia, Ixia, and Crocus; but almost every genus contained in the order has showy flowers, and is consequently well known in gardens. The leaves are generally thin, long, and flat, with the edge towards the stem, and the flowers are produced from spathes; the perianth is also in six segments coloured alike, the calyx and corolla being in most cases confounded together. The genus Iris has generally tuberous or solid bulbous roots, of the kind called corms, and the perianth of the flower is divided into six segments, three of which are larger than the others; these three larger segments, which formthe calyx, (seeainfig.148) are reflexed, andFig. 148.—Flower of the Iris.a stamen springs from the base of each, which reclines upon it, with its anther turned from the rest of the flower, the segment, in many species, having a kind of crest or beard near the base, as though it were intended to form a cushion for the stamen to repose on, while over each stamen is spread, as a kind of coverlid, a stigma (b) which is dilated so as to resemble a petal. The petals (c) often stand erect, and were called by Linnæus the standards. The seed-vessel, which forms below the flower, is a three-celled capsule, opening, when ripe, by three valves, and containing numerous seeds.
The other genera differ from the Iris in having the lower part of the segments of the perianth generally combined into a tube, with the ovary below, looking like a footstalk; the limb being divided into six parts, all so much alike, both in form and position, as to render it difficult todistinguish the calyx from the corolla. There is only one style, with three stigmas, which are always more or less leafy, and the anthers (which are never more than three) are always turned away from the pistil. In Ferraria, the filaments of the stamens grow together, and form a hollow tube, as in the Passion-flower, surrounding the style and stigmas; and in the Saffron Crocus (C. sativa), the stigmas (which, when dried, form the saffron) are so heavy, as to hang out on one side of the perianth from between the segments. Most of the genera have solid bulbs or corms at the base of their stems; but some, such as Marica, Sisyrinchium, and Patersonia, have only fibrous roots. The genera Colchicum and Bulbocodium very much resemble the Crocus in the appearance of their flowers; but they are distinguished by having three styles and a superior ovary, and they are included in the order Melanthaceæ.
ORDER CLXXXVIII.—HÆMODORACEÆ.
Theprincipal genera are Wachendorfia, Hæmadorum, and Anigozanthos, which differ from the preceding genus principally in having six stamens, the anthers of which are turned towards the stigma. Most of the genera have only fibrous roots, but Wachendorfia has a rhizoma, producing buds in the scales. Theplants are natives of the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland, and the roots of some of the species yield a brilliant scarlet dye.
ORDER CLXXXIX.—HYPOXIDEÆ.
Bulbous-rootedplants, with long narrow leaves covered with soft downy hairs, and rather small yellow flowers, which are frequently fragrant.
ORDER CXC.—AMARYLLIDACEÆ.
A largeorder of genera, all of which have bulbous roots, and most of them splendid flowers. Some of the most interesting genera are—Amaryllis, Nerine (the Guernsey Lily), Brunsvigia, Hæmanthus, Crinum, Pancratium, Narcissus, Galanthus (the Snowdrop), Leucojum, Alstrœmeria, and Doryanthes. The different kinds of Amaryllis have large lily-like flowers, divided into six equal segments, which are joined into a tube below, with six stamens, the anthers of which are turned towards the pistil, and a long style crowned with a simple stigma. The ovary is beneath the other parts of the flower, to which it serves as a receptacle; and in most of the plants it looks like a small green calyx below the perianth. The leaves are very long, but they are rather thickand fleshy, and their edge is not turned towards the stem. In Narcissus, Pancratium, and some other genera, the flowers have a kind of cup within the perianth, formed of the filaments of abortive stamens grown together. In Pancratium, the filaments of the anther-bearing stamens grow into the others, so as to form a part of the cup, the anthers springing from the margin of it; but in Narcissus, the fertile stamens are distinct. In Galanthus, and its allied genera, the anthers open by pores, as in the Ericaceæ, and there is a kind of receptacle on the germen, in which the petals, and sepals, and the filaments of the stamens, are inserted.
ORDER CXCI.—HEMEROCALLIDEÆ.
Thisorder, which included the Day Lilies (HemerocallisandFunkia), the African Lily (Agapanthus), the Aloe (Aloë), the Tuberose (Polianthes), with several other genera which have their flowers in upright racemes or umbels, is now generally considered to form a section of the order Liliaceæ.
ORDER CXCII.—DIOSCOREÆ.
TheYam (Dioscoreæ), and the Elephant’s-foot (Testudinaria), are the principal genera inthis order; and both have an enormously-large tuberous root which is eatable, and a very slender climbing stem, with rather small leaves and inconspicuous flowers. The ovary is below the flower, and the fruit is capsular.
ORDER CXCIII.—TAMACEÆ.
Thisorder consists only of the genusTamus, the Black Bryony, which Dr. Lindley includes in Dioscoreæ. It has, however, a berry-like fruit.
ORDER CXCIV.—SMILACEÆ.