of Eastern Astragalus is remarkably caustic. The bark of Piscidia Erythrina, a native of the West-Indies, intoxicates fish; as do some species of Galega. The seeds of the Blue Chickling-Vetch (Lathyrus sativus), those of the Dwarf Chickling-Vetch (L. Cicera), and of Officinal Tare (Ervum Ervilia), are said to be very prejudicial, when they have been eaten for a long time. The first of these plants is supposed, at Florence, to soften the bones, and to occasion death. George D. Duvernoi has written an express dissertation concerning the poisonous quality of one of these vegetables *. It is a fact, that some of the Leguminous plants prove very injurious to horses, and other large animals.

THE following Diadelphous genera are natives of the United-States: viz. Fumaria, Polygala, Securidaca, Amorpha, Erythrina, Lupinus, Crotalaria, Phaseolus, Dolichos, Pisum, Lathyrus, Vicia, Astragalus, Trifolium, Eschynomene, Hedysarum, Medicago, Glycine, Clitoria, Robinia, and Galega. The United-States are extremely rich in the species of some of these genera, particularly Polygala, and Hedysarum. A complete history of the North-American species of the last genus, would be a most valuable present to the botanists.

FOR an illustration of the class Diadelphia, see Plate -For some notices concerning the plants of this class, see Part 1. pages 186-190.

XXI.

* De Lathyri quadam venenata specie in Comitatu Montbelgardensi culta. Basiliæ: 1770. 4to.

CLASS XVIII.

POLYADELPHIA.

MANY BROTHERHOODS.

THE eighteenth class is denominated POLYADELPHIA*. By certain English botanists, this is called the class of MANY BROTHERHOODS. It embraces those hermaphrodite plants, whose flowers have the stamens, or male organs, united by their filaments into three, or more, distinct bundles.

THE orders of this class are founded upon the number of the stamens, and are four in number, viz. PENTANDRIA, DODECANDRIA, ICOSANDRIA, and Po

LYANDRIA.

PENTANDRIA.

FIVE MALES.

THIS order contains the genera Theobroma, Abroma, and Omphalobium.

DODECANDRIA.

TWELVE MALES.

THE genus Monsonia, which is nearly allied to the family of Geranium, if, indeed, it be not a species of this tribe of plants, is referred to this order.

* From Toλus, many, and adeλɔs, a brother.

ICOSANDRIA.

TWENTY MALES.

THE noble genus Citrus belongs to this order.

POLYANDRIA.

MANY MALES.

THIS is the most extensive order of the four. It contains, however, but few genera. The following are the principal, viz. Melaleuca, Hopea, Durio, Glabraria, Munchhausia, Symplocos, Hypericum, and Ascyrum.

CHARACTER.

THE class Polyadelphia has but little claim to the character of a natural class*. The genera which it contains belong to very different natural orders of the botanists. Thus, the genera Theobroma, Abroma, and Symplocos, belong to the great order Columniferæ, already mentioned. The two first of these genera belong to Jussieu's order, Malvaceæ. Monsonia is referred by Linnæus to his order Gruinalest. Citrus belongs to the order Bicornest. Hypericum and Ascyrum belong to the order Rotaceae). The genera Ascyrum and Hyperi

"A small and rather unnatural class." Dr. J. E. Smith.

† See page 95.

See pages 36 and 45.

So called from rota, a wheel. See Part I. page 135.

cum belong to Mr. De Jussieu's order Hyperica: the eighth order of his thirteenth class. Melaleuca is referred to the fine order Myrti.

As this is one of the smallest, so it is also, one of the least important, classes of the sexual system. Nevertheless, it furnishes us with some vegetables which those who are attached to the luxuries of the table, would be unwilling to forego. That highly nutritious and agreeable article chocolate is prepared from the nuts of the Theobroma Cacao, which is a native of Mexico, and of different parts of South-America. Linnæus, it has been observed*, must have been attached to the use of this article, as he has given to it a name which imports nothing less than "the food of the godst". The Swedish naturalist ‡ has, attributed to this drink good effects in curing certain diseases, which, by my own experience, I am led to believe are encreased by the stimulus and full nourishment, which chocolate gives. The different species of Orange (Citrus Aurantium, &c.) and Lemon (Citrus medica), are some of the finest and most wholesome fruits that have, hitherto, been discovered.

We derive no indispensible, or highly important, medicinal article from the class Polyadelphia. Melaleuca Leucadendron, indeed, furnishes us with the oleum Caieput, which is said to have been found useful in the cure of

By my amiable friend, the late Mr. Pennant. †Theobroma, from Otos, god and Вpwμx, food.

See Amoenitates Academica. Vol. vii.

pertussis, or hooping-cough, intermittents, and other diseases. Hypericum perforatum, or Common St. John's wort, was once deemed an article well entitled to the attention of physicians. But, at present, it is very generally, perhaps too much, neglected. From a species of this genus, the Hypericum bacciferum, we obtain one of the varieties of Gamboge, that are in use*. I have been informed that Hopea tinctoria (I think the leaves) has been used, with advantage, in cases of nephritis, or calculus. We are more certain, that the leaves of this shrub are employed in some parts of the United-States, to give a fine yellow colour. The Hopea, which is known by the names of "Yellow-leaf" and "HorseSugar," has been discovered in the United-States as far north as about the latitude of thirty-nine.

THE following genera, belonging to this class, are natives of the United-States: viz. Hopea, Hypericum, and Ascyrum. The North-American species of Hype. ricum have not been sufficiently investigated. The Orange, the Lemon, and other species of Citrus, are not natives of the new world. They were introduced into this continent from the Canaries, but now prosper so well in many parts of America, that even North-America may boast of its Orange-groves, not, perhaps, inferior to those of the native countries of this vegetable.

FOR an illustration of the class Polyadelphia, see Plate XIX. Fig. 2.

See page 69. Note,