DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19455#0039
DRAWING-ROOM BOTANY.
23
CLASS X.—DECANDRIA.
Plants belonging to this class are distinguished by their
flowers having ten stamens It is subdivided into six Orders,
namely, Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, Tetragynia, Pentagynia, and
Decagynia.
Plate VIII.
Fig. 1, Cucubalas stellatus, a North American plant. A a the star shaped
or stellate leaves. B b the hracts. C the perianth. D the ten stamens.
E E the three styles. F the same detached from the other organs.
Fig. 2. A A the ten stamens of the white saxifrage {Sawifraga granu-
lata). B the two pistils. It grows in meadows and pastures, especially in
a gravelly soil, in various parts of Britain.
Fig. 3. A the flower of the American poke {Phytolacca decandria) of its
natural size. B the flower magnified, showing the ten stamens, the
striated germe, and ten stigmas.
This plant has been naturalized to the gardens of the southern
and middle parts of Europe. Its young leaves are eaten as
spinach, its buds and shoots as asparagus, and its fruit affords
a fine red juice, which, Loudon says, has superseded the use of
elderberries, in giving a deep colour to port wines.
CLASS XL—DODECANDRIA.
Twelve is the general number of stamens in the flowers of
plants of this class -} but there are some exceptions. Thus, in
the genus Bocconia, the stamens vary from eight to twelve, or
more ; in Hudsonia, from ten to fifteen ; in Be/aria, fourteen;
and in Agrimonia, from twelve to twenty. The Orders of this
class are Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, Pentagynia, and Dodecagynia.
Plate VIII.
Fig. 4. Wild ginger {Asarum Canadense). A the germe below the calyx.
B the six-parted stellate stigma, b b six of the twelve stamens, the others
having been removed. C a diagram, exhibiting the twelve filaments, as
inserted on the top of the germe; they are awl-shaped, with the anthers
joined near to the centre of the filament. D E two magnified figures of
the stamens. This plant is esteemed as a spice in Canada, where, accord-
ing to Tournefort, the old French colonists used it to season their meats :
it is said to combine the flavour of ginger and of serpentary. It has been
administered in cases of fever and lock-jaw.
Fig. 5. A the flower of the common agrimony {Agrimonia Eapatoria).
B the flower magnified, to show the five petals of the corolla, the twelve
stamens, and the two styles. This is a common plant, and grows by our
road sides.
Fig. 6. Portions of the flower of caper spurge {Euphorbia Lathyris)
magnified. A the twelve stamens. B the germe. b b the styles, a the
six stigmas.
The seeds of this plant are very acrid; but, notwithstanding
that quality, they are not unfrequently pickled instead of capers,
and eaten as a sauce with meat 3 but they can hardly be consi-
dered safe or wholesome, although the process of pickling may
lessen, and, perhaps, may remove the more active principles.
23
CLASS X.—DECANDRIA.
Plants belonging to this class are distinguished by their
flowers having ten stamens It is subdivided into six Orders,
namely, Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, Tetragynia, Pentagynia, and
Decagynia.
Plate VIII.
Fig. 1, Cucubalas stellatus, a North American plant. A a the star shaped
or stellate leaves. B b the hracts. C the perianth. D the ten stamens.
E E the three styles. F the same detached from the other organs.
Fig. 2. A A the ten stamens of the white saxifrage {Sawifraga granu-
lata). B the two pistils. It grows in meadows and pastures, especially in
a gravelly soil, in various parts of Britain.
Fig. 3. A the flower of the American poke {Phytolacca decandria) of its
natural size. B the flower magnified, showing the ten stamens, the
striated germe, and ten stigmas.
This plant has been naturalized to the gardens of the southern
and middle parts of Europe. Its young leaves are eaten as
spinach, its buds and shoots as asparagus, and its fruit affords
a fine red juice, which, Loudon says, has superseded the use of
elderberries, in giving a deep colour to port wines.
CLASS XL—DODECANDRIA.
Twelve is the general number of stamens in the flowers of
plants of this class -} but there are some exceptions. Thus, in
the genus Bocconia, the stamens vary from eight to twelve, or
more ; in Hudsonia, from ten to fifteen ; in Be/aria, fourteen;
and in Agrimonia, from twelve to twenty. The Orders of this
class are Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, Pentagynia, and Dodecagynia.
Plate VIII.
Fig. 4. Wild ginger {Asarum Canadense). A the germe below the calyx.
B the six-parted stellate stigma, b b six of the twelve stamens, the others
having been removed. C a diagram, exhibiting the twelve filaments, as
inserted on the top of the germe; they are awl-shaped, with the anthers
joined near to the centre of the filament. D E two magnified figures of
the stamens. This plant is esteemed as a spice in Canada, where, accord-
ing to Tournefort, the old French colonists used it to season their meats :
it is said to combine the flavour of ginger and of serpentary. It has been
administered in cases of fever and lock-jaw.
Fig. 5. A the flower of the common agrimony {Agrimonia Eapatoria).
B the flower magnified, to show the five petals of the corolla, the twelve
stamens, and the two styles. This is a common plant, and grows by our
road sides.
Fig. 6. Portions of the flower of caper spurge {Euphorbia Lathyris)
magnified. A the twelve stamens. B the germe. b b the styles, a the
six stigmas.
The seeds of this plant are very acrid; but, notwithstanding
that quality, they are not unfrequently pickled instead of capers,
and eaten as a sauce with meat 3 but they can hardly be consi-
dered safe or wholesome, although the process of pickling may
lessen, and, perhaps, may remove the more active principles.