Protea, Banksia, Roupala, Brabeium, and Embothrium, constitute the order Protea in the learned system of Mr. De Jussieu. This is a very magnificent order of vegetables. Ixora, Hedyotis, Houstonia, Rubia, Galium, Asperula, Sherardia, Spermacoce, Knoxia, Diodia, Crucianella, Cornus, &c, from a part of Linnæus's forty-seventh natural order, Stellata. All these genera, together with many others which Linnæus has introduced as well into the fourth as into other classes of his sexual system, constitute an extensive order of vegetables, to which Mr. De Jussieu has given the name of Rubiacea.

THE class Tetrandria contains several plants that are entitled to the attention of physicians. The Rubia tinctorum, or common Madder, has been recommended in different diseases, particularly as an emmenagogue. Several species of Cornus, especially the Cornus florida, or Dogwood, and the Cornus sericea, called Redwillow, and Red-rod, have been found useful substitutes to the Peruvian bark, in the treatment of intermittent and other fevers. The bark is used. These are NorthAmerican plants. The Dorstenia Contrayerva is the Contrayerva of the shops; an article, I think, of no great value. Some species of Ilex, or Holly, deserve to be farther investigated, particularly the Ilex vomitoria of Aiton. This, which is the Yaupon, Yopon, Cusseena, or Cassena, of our Southern Indians, is a very powerful diuretic. It is also one of the most interesting vegetable articles in the history of the American Indians. If there were no other reasons to believe, that the Americans, and certain Asiatics, particularly the Japanese and Chinese, were the children of a common stock, or family, we should almost be led to adopt this opinion from an attention to the tradition of the Carolina-Indi

ans concerning the first discovery and use of the Cusseena*. Hamamelis virginica, or Witch-Hazel, is said to be one of the medicinal articles of the Indians, whose materia medica contains, along with many active, and useful, very many inefficacious and worthless medicines. Cuscuta americana, or American Dodder, is employed to die a yellow colour.

MANY of the genera of the class Tetrandria, are natives of the United-States.

FOR an illustration of the class Tetrandria, see Plate X.

CLASS V.

PENTANDRIA.

FIVE MALES.

THE fifth class is denominated PENTANDRIAt. It embraces those hermaphrodite flowers which are furnished with five stamens, or male organs. The orders

* See my Collections for an Essay towards a Materia Medica of the United States. Second edition, pages 5658. Philadelphia: 1801. 8vo.

+ From IT, five

of this class are six in number, and have received the following names, viz. MONOGYNIA, DIGYNIA, TRIGY NIA, TETRAGYNIA, PENTAGYNIA, and POLYGINIA.

MONOGYNIA.

ONE FEMALE.

THIS order is immensely numerous.

I shall not

attempt to enumerate the names of all the genera. Some of the principal of them shall be mentioned. They are the following, viz. Mirabilis, Plumbago, Cerinthe, Echium, Heliotropium, Pulmonaria, Lithospermum, Symphytum, Borago, Lycopsis, Asperugo, Cynoglossum, Anchusa, Myosotis, Hydrophyllum, Galax, Cortusa, Anagallis, Lysimachia, Cyclamen, Dodecatheon, Primula, Androsace, Aretia, Hottonia, Menyanthes, Spigelia, Ophiorhiza, Convolvulus, Datura, Hyoscyamus, Nicotiana, Verbascum, Chironia, Phlox, Polemonium, Ipomoea, Azalea, Nerium, Echites, Vinca, Tournefortia, Rauvolfia, Cestrum, Strychnos, Capsi. cum, Solanum, Physalis, Atropa, Ellisia, Lycium, Sideroxylon, Ignatia, Tektona, Samolus, Cinchona, Portlandia, Phyteuma, Campanula, Psychotria, Coffea, Gardenia, Genipa, Lonicera, Triosteum, Mussænda, Hamellia, Rhamnus, Ceanothus, Celastrus, Euonymus, Vitis, Mangifera, Cedrela, Diosma, Claytonia, Itea, Sauvagesia, Kuhnia, Ribes, Hedera, Heliconia, Cyrilla, Illecebrum, Glaux, Thesium.

***
**

To this order belong, also, species of various other genera, which are arranged by Linnæus in other classes of his system. I here mention a few of these species, referring to Willdenow and Persoon, for a more ample view,-Oldenlandia pentandra, Bartonia pentandra (Flora Virginica, &c. Part I. p. 51.), several species of Cassia and Polygonum; Passerina pentandra, &c., &c.

DIGYNIA.

TWO FEMALES.

THIS is also a very extensive order. It contains several of the Contorta: fewer of them, however, than some writers have imagined; not one, indeed, in the list of Persoon. It contains Chenopodium, Beta; the great and beautiful genus of Gentiana, some species of which belong to the fourth class.-Then follow a number of genera, belonging to the order of Umbellifera. A list of the principal genera I shall afterwards give, and shall hint at their properties. At present, I shall confine myself to some observations concerning their habit and structure, and places of growth.

THESE Umbelliferæ have (generally) five superior petals, and two naked seeds, which when they have become ripe, are suspended, in a vertical direction, from the summit. of a slender filiform receptacle. Some of the Umbelliferæ, however, have only one seed and one style: such as Lagæcia (L. cuminoides.) referred here by Jussieu.

In a former part of this work, I have spoken of the inflorescence of this vast family of plants, a knowledge of which is of great importance to the physician and the agriculturalist. I may now add, that in Eryngium, the umbella is condensed into a capitulum, or scaly head, of a conical or globular form, showing its evident affinity with the Syngenesious compound flowers; and exhibiting, at the same time, the habit of a Carduus, or Thistle, for which some of the species are often taken.

THE greater number of the Umbelliferæ, are herbace. ous plants. This order, however, contains some arborescent or at least frutescent species, such as Bupleurum arborescens, B. fruticosum, &c. These plants are very extensively dispersed over the earth; and in the most opposite soils; on high mountains, near the niveau of the ocean; in the driest and in the wettest ground. Yet few of the species, it is said, are found in the hottest climates.

Polygonum virginianum, Trianthema pentandra, Oldenlandia digyna, and several other species, belong to this second order.

TRIGYNIA.

THREE FEMALES.

THIS order, though much less extensive than either of the two preceding, embraces, nevertheless, a considerable number of genera. The following are a few of them, viz. Rhus, Viburnum, Cassine, Sambucus, Staphylea, Tamarix, Turnera, and Sarothra. But the number of the stamens in some of these genera (especially Sambucus and Staphylea) is very indefinite.

TETRAGYNIA.

FOUR FEMALES.

ONLY two genera, Parnassia and Evolvulus, are referred to this order by Linnæus and Willdenow. Evolvulus, of which several species are known, is closely allied to the genera Convolvulus, Ipomoea, &c., of the first order, and has lately been transferred by Persoon to the order Digynia, next to Gentiana, Swertia, and Falkia.

PENTAGYNIA.

FIVE FEMALES.

THE genera Aralia, Statice, Linum, Aldrovanda, Drosera, Gisekia, Crassula, and Sibbaldia, are referred to this order.-The number of the stamens in Aralia Aralia nudicaulis, &c.) is very variable.