The wild Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) has a bitter juice, of an offensive odour. -The cultivated Lettuce yields a juice of which a pharmaceutical extract is obtained by evaporation, called lactucarium or thrictace, which possesses narcotic properties. It is sometimes employed in medicine as a substitute for opium. The young leaves of the Lettuce, of which many varieties are cultivated in our gardens, are used as salads.

In this same branch of the Compesites are the Vipers’ Grass (Scorzonera), Salsify (Tragopogon), and the Dandelion (Zaraxa- — eum ). The Tubifloral Floscules contain a bitter principle, which gives _ them stimulating properties. Some of the Carducem were held in great favour for medical uses in olden times, but are now abandoned. Such are the Holy Thistle (Cnicus benedictus), Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum), Star Thistle (Carduus calcitrapa), Corn Blue Bottle (Centaurea cyanus), common in France and Switzerland. One of this family, the Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), furnishes ey a dye soluble in alcohol. It came originally from India, but is now

| cultivated in Asia, America, and nearly over the whole of Europe.

The colour drawn from the Safflower is not very strong, but 1t8 — shades are very delicate and varied. Mixed with tale if makes 9 — paint which women use by way of rouge. Some of the Carducex are comestible. Such are the Artichoke ( Cyanara scolymus), of: He and the common — which the base of the bracts, the involucrum, receptacle are eaten, while the choke—that is to say, the YOY young flowers—is rejected; the Cardoon (Cynara carduncullus); ae of which the midrib of the leaves is eaten, being whitened and a rendered fleshy by blanching. Pee os _ The Tubifloral Radiates comprise plants in which @ ee

principle is generally combined with a volatile oil or resin, whilst the roots contain a matter more or less analogous to fecula, somewhat resembling starch, known under the name of inuline. According to the proportion of these different principles, some of the species are tonic, others stimulant, others astringent. We may thus mentionW orm-wood (Artemisia absinthium),fromwhich the well-known beverage is obtained; Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare); Yarrow, Milfoil, or Thousand Leaves (Achillea mil: lefolium); Ptarmi-cas, of which several Alpine species are used by the Swiss as tea; the different

mile. (Anthemis nobilis), of which we give a representation in Fig. 440, an in which example the head has become Semi-flosculous by ;the Moun- culture tain Apes and Elecampane (Inula helenium), &e. It is to the large division of the Tubu- Fig. 440.—Roman Camomile, — lifloral Radiates that: most of the Composites cultivated as ornamental belong. Such are of which so many beautiful varieties are now’ the Chrysanthemums, ini our town gardens, for which — enpecially adapted; Cultivated

the Field Daisy, and the Golden Daisy. The Astreas are autumnal plants, originally from North America. The Cinerarias and the Gnaphales comprehend many ornamental plants designated under the common name of Jmmortelles. Zinnias, Stars of India, and the Dahlia, of which the species, originally from Mexico, with simple single flowers, have yielded varieties with double flowers, until they have become the glory of our gardens in the autumn months, in conjunction with the Chrysanthemums.

Myrrats. Epigynous exogens, having still a strong tendency to the capitate condition which distinguishes the Compositee, they exhibit a polypetalous corolla with dichlamydeous flowers, axile placenta, and embryo with little or no albumen. -

: a sghand sg)gan sometimes climbers, with alternate or es grees simple oid a Pipne pert og a calyx four and ae XXIV. Combretacez. pave ek; corollafour orfive petals; stamen 06k

“Tageac often spiny; alternate leaves a flowers, herma-e; regular calyx,¢ adheraged a m teeth; corolla with 3g correspo ing to theteeth of ththengproag fruit a cluster; oy one-celled; ovules miataos seed albuminous; cotyledons

oe heath-like _bushes, with evergreen leaves, flat0’ ers herma! ‘ater tae, corymbs,or heads; prcihe. oatsingae one-celled ovary; petals equal to the divisions kgthe ovary; CCLXXVI. Chamelauciez. tamens indefinite, often media? ovuleserect from theb: solitary; iapouts sapiganeths

three four minute petals inse: in te intent,aoeof ‘aly,one pic sometimes nt; ovary inferior, pleniloc definite;

pers jt oon aera of the lige: stamens definite ovaryTroan: celled, inf

Ses aie wethe tropics; leavsaison ania: le, entire, or toothed; flowers talous, regular, hermaphroditecs; valvate, four to twelve-: corolla With petals equal to the lobes of the pon stamens inserted withwith the petals;ovary inferior, two-celled;

pouth initalbushes, with alternate leathery leaves narroweda the base into a thick channelledflonergen eeflowers in threes, sessile in the axils of the leaves;pkRonn,Sng eatherycap of five ovatevale 8 ments, with vaivate; stamens twenty, erect, alsoin fortsof a cap; ovary buried at the base of corolla,

Trees, shrubs, and herbs, with leaves oppositeor inwhorls; flow hermaphrodite; calyx petitine corolla wal Sou equale to the lobes Deal~ corolla; stamens definite, —— with the} gga 3;ovary pl; ovules two, suspended from ee ae prtor with opposite entire Rae sometimes alternate, erally furnished with glands secreting essential oils;flowers red, white, or yellow, hermaphrodite, regular; calyx four or five-lobed, | goyxxXXII. Myrtacex-it to the inferior one ormany-c: equalto lobes of calyx; stamens indefinite many,two or many-celled, one-seeded by abortion.

Large trees, with alternate, entire, or toothed leaves; large showy polypetalous flowers, racemose, terminal, or solitary; calyx superior, LXXXUI: valvat imbricate;corolla of six petals; stamens indefinite; ovary ce - Lecythidacem. inferior, two to six-celled.

Mostly natives of the tropics, the group, from the associations connected with the Myrtles, whence it derives its name, has a certam European interest. The CompreTacem are mostly astringents, the bark of several useful in tanning; others yield gum; the galls of several species are useful dyes. In ALANGIACEX we have an order chiefly Indian, with aromatic roots; an eatable but insipid fruit, yielding valuable timber. The CHamMmLavciEa, which Endlicher makes a sub-order of Myrtacea, are small, beautiful flowering bushes, resembling the Heaths; they abound in Australia; of their uses and properties little is known. The Hatoracacex or Hipunds, are found in ditches, sluggish streams, mostly in temperate parts of the world. A few species occur in China, Australia, and the South Sea Islands.

The Onacracem, or Evening Primroses, include the Fuchsias, Primroses, Clarkias, and some other garden favourites of great beauty, natives of the northern hemisphere, and abundant in the new world. Some of these, as the Jussieu’s Fuchsias and Montonias, are used in the Brazils and Chili as dyes; others are astringents. Many of the genus (xothera expand their flowers in the evening, whence their name of Evening Primrose. The Ruizornoracex, or Mangroves, grow in muddy waters on the coast, where they soon form dense thickets on the edge of the seas and rivers of the tropics, which the sun’s rays fail to penetrate;hence the putrid exhalations which render many tropical regions near the coast and large rivers so unhealthy. The Brt- VISIACE&, or Napoleonads of Endlicher, are smooth-leaved camelia-like bushes, wholly African and tropical, of whose uses little is known. The Metastomace# are entirely exotics, and of both hemispheres, but mostly Asiatic; they are all slightly astringent. Many produce edible fruit, and some are useful in medicine. The Myrrace are natives of hot climates, within and without the tropics, Myrtus communis, with which we are mostly familiar, being a native of Persia. The order includes the Eucalyptus, 80 often spoken of in Australian travels, the Pomegranate (Punica granatum), and a number of other exotics equally well known

from their fruits or flowers. Lrcyrnrpace Endlicher treats as a sub-order. It includes the Leptospermee, the Cajeput oil-tree, and other interesting genera.

CacTALs. In this group are ranged the well-known Cactuses, and other favourites of the greenhouse among the Loasacee. In appearance the group seems anomalous, but their dichlamydeous flowers and parietal placente bring them together in the opinion of botanists.

Trees and shrubs, with alternate simple leaves, deciduous leaflets at their base; flowers hermaphrodite, regular, arranged in spikes,: racemes, or paniclesles; calyx tubular, adhering to the ovary, with ten CCLXXXIV. Homaliaces. to fifteen lobes; corolla five to ten petals; stamens equal to the lobes; ovary inferior.

Herbaceous plants, more or less covered with prickles; leaves } pp D; flowers hermaphrodite, regular; caly& tubular; CCLXXXYV. Loasacezx. corolla with four or five concave petals; stamens indefinite; ovary f inferior, one-celled, with several partitions. J

Trees and shrubs, with succulent spine, angular, depressed, o1 e |ian oe —_ i,deciduous stipules, but often wanting, and replaced by a cushion; flowers hermaphrodite; calyx many-lobed; | CLXXXVI. taceer. corolla with numerous petals; stamens indefinite in number; ovary C One inferior, one-celled; fruit fleshy, one-celled, many-seeded, smooth, or cov scales, )

The Homaliacee are natives of tropical America, and between the tropics in Africa, the Isle of Bourbon, and Madagascar.

The Loasaceé are American plants found over the whole conti nent;their most noted peculiarity being the secretion of an acrid — juice with which the hairs on the stem are charged.

The Cacrackx came originally from the American continent. They are at the same time fleshy and ligneous. Their branching stems present the most varied, often the most grotesque forms. ~ Sometimes they are erect, like a tall fluted column; at others they are massed together like a solid sphere, tapering off into cylindrical branches, or flattened after the manner of the Indian Fig. In short, nothing is more varied than the aspect of ess numberless Cactuses, which grow naturally in strange profusion in America, and which art has brought together in great quantities in our gardens for the purposes of study or gratification. The stem of the Cactus is generally destitute of leaves, the existence Co, which is, so to speak, only suggested by a small cushion ee under the bud. Nevertheless the genus Pereskia has true pee late leaves, which are large and oblong, caducous, or deciduous. The buds, situated at the axiles of the leaves, are a’

kinds; the lower are furnished with spines, the upper are developed into branches and flowers. Fig. 441 represents Mammillaria elephantidens, one of this genus, cultivated in greenhouses. e flowers of the Cactus are regular and hermaphrodite} their envelopes are composed of a great number of divisions, the exterior of which have a great analogy to sepals, whilst the internal ones

= k sg i) tu x

. Fees

Fig. 441,—Mammillaria elephantidens.

resemble petals; it is not always possible to find the precise limit tween the corolla and calyx. The stamens are very numerous, and have bilocular anthers; their valves facing the centre of the flower; the ovary inferior, and surmounted by a lengthened style, divided into several stigmatic branches. This ovary is unilocular, and has as many parietal placente on its interior as it has stigmatic branches. Upon each of these placente are found a number of anatropal ovules. The fruit is a pulpy berry. The seeds are nestled in the pulp, and have a straight or curved embryo, and little or no albumen. | If we examine more closely some members of this interesting

family—the Opuntia, for instance—we find the stem more or less flattened, with oval or oblong articulations, bearing bunches of needle-like hairs, and without any median neryure. The flowers in Opuntia are quite magnificent. Nothing is more curious than these large corollas clothed in the most vivid colours, which are so planted as to seem to be nailed upon the strong, prickly, and succulent rugged stem of the plants. The flowers seem to spring from the branches of hair, or from the edges of the articulations; they are white, red, or yellow, according to the species. Their The fruit, of various stamens are endowed with great irritability. size and colour, is eatable, and not unlike a large gooseberry in form and taste. The Prickly Pear, or Indian Fig (Opuntia vulgaris), is a plant from the West Indies or America. The Opuntia bears a originally in the south of 4 large comestible fruit. It has long been naturalised &c., where it is cultivated in Spain, Italy, Sicily, Greece, Europe, to make hedges and enclosures, its fruit being, to a considerable extent, the food of the inhabitants of these countries. 0. cochinil-lifera is the plant on which the cochineal insect feeds and breeds. This is the little insect which produces the rich coloured pigment, employed in the manufacture of carmine. *- The Arens, or Torch Thistle, has continuous angular stems, the The flowers of hairy prickles. angles charged with bunches of Peru are Thistle of the Torch Those and beautiful. are large solitary, about six inches in length, white within, greenish for the length of the tube, and rose colour upon the exterior limb. It is tothe genus Cereus that the gigantic species indigenous to Mexico and California belong. The stem of this vegetable wonder, flanked by its branches, resembles an immense candelabrum, fifteen yards high. In the engraving (Plate XXI.) we givea representation of the gigantic Cereus of Mexico, taken from an American work, &e. The on the Mississippi,” entitled “Report of Explorations cultivated in Echino cactus, originally from America, is frequently this country. Its stems, clustered together in the shape ofanegS or sphere, present longitudinal sides separated by straight farce Me These sides are furnished on their whole length with whi ce provided with short and spreading spines. cotonous excrescences, It is from the centre of these thorny tubercules that the flow

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