Order Cxxxv
ARISTOLOCHIA. 2058 Hippophae W.
Here we are on the limits of Monocotyledones and Dicotyledones. The species are herbaceous or half shrubby plants, with simple, often reniform, leaves; and mottled grotesque flowers, usually brownish purple. Their roots are all bitter, and possessed of tonic and stimulating properties; but the degree in which they exist in different species is not at present ascertained. The Aristolochias have been in former days praised as emmenagogues, and many are still used in South America as a remedy for the bite of serpents. A'sarum europæ'um is a purgative and emetic when fresh, but its powers are much diminished by drying; its dried leaves are occasionally used by the country people in some parts of England as a sternutatory. 1072 A'sarum W.
ORDER CXXXVI. 1934 Aristolochia W.
EUPHORBIACEE.
Weeds and lofty trees, of such varied appearance and property, that it is scarcely possible to frame a brief character by which they can be expressed. Their vegetation in cold countries is mostly herbaceous, in hot countries frutescent or arborescent; their juice is milky, and their flowers mostly inconspicuous. It is for their medicinal properties that they are chiefly known, and these are as various as their aspect; mostly, however, dangerous, and always to be suspected. In a few of them, the smell and taste are aromatic; but in most, there is either no smell or it is nauseous, and the taste constantly acrid and pungent. Some possess also an acrid limpid fluid, which is given out by the leaves when touched. Many of them act strongly upon the kidneys, as several species of Phyllanthus, the leaves of Mercuriális ánnua, and the root of Ricinus commúnis. Many are said to be powerful medicines in cases of dropsy. The bark of several Crótons, the wood of Cróton Tiglium and Búxus, the leaves of the same, and also of Cicca disticha, several Euphorbias, and others, are recorded as sudorifics, and useful against syphilis; as emetics, we find the roots of the Euphorbias, the juice of Cómmia, A'nda, Mercuriális perénnis, &c. A great number are purgative, especially the leaves of Búxus and Mercuriális, the juice of Euphorbia, Cómmia, Húra, the seeds of Ricinus, Cróton Tíglium, A'nda, and Játropha. The effects of some others are so dangerous, particularly Hippómane, that it is not advisable to administer them even in very small doses; even in many Euphorbias it is difficult to draw a line between the quantity in which they are poisonous, and that in which they are harmless or useful. The nature of their poison is mostly acrid, occasionally, however, mixed with something narcotic, as is apparent from the effect of those which are used for poisoning or rather stupifying fish. The purgative oil in which the seeds of many are found to abound, has been determined to reside wholly in the albumen; hence the embryo of some, as Omphalea diándra, is eaten as nuts. Boiling or roasting has also the effect of dissipating their noxious effects; thus Játropha Maníhot, than which there scarcely exists a more dangerous poison, affords a food when submitted to fire, called cassava, the flour of which is often used in London as a luxury for making puddings, than which few are reputed to be more wholesome. But the most curious of all the products of Euphorbiaceæ is the Caoutchouc, that singular substance which, although the produce of dangerous acrid trees, possesses nothing whatever which has been found capable of acting upon the human system in whatever way applied, which is unalterable either in air, in water, or in spirits, although it softens at a high temperature. It is chiefly produced by Siphónia elástica, but also exists in the juice of very many others, as Excæcária Agallócha, Hippómane Mancinélla, Húra crépitans, Sápium aucupárium, Plukenétia volúbilis, the Játrophas, Mábea, Omphaleas, and many others. Tournesole, another curious chemical preparation, is the juice of Cróton tinctórium, but is also found in several others. Many other properties belong to this order, which it would be too long to detail in this place. The curious reader will find ample information in the medical division of M. Adrian de Jussieu's monograph of the order, from which most of the foregoing remarks are taken. SECTION I. 1963 Pachysándra Mi. 1957 Búxus W. 1978 Securinéga W. 2071 Flúggea W. 1958 Cícca W.
Phyllanthus W.
SECTION II. 2092 Kiggelária W. 2025 Andráchne W. 2122 Cluýtia W. 2148 Bridélia W.
SECTION III. 2032 Cróton W. 2118 Adélia W. 2044 Bórya W. 2105 Rottléra Roxb. 2104 Gelónium Roxb. 2119 Loureira W. 2034 Ricinus W. 2033 Játropha W. 2028 Aleurites W. 2097 Hyænánche H. K.
SECTION IV. 2038 Acalypha W. 2088 Mercuriális W. 2040 Plukenetia W. 1944 Trágia NATURAL ARRANGEMENT.
SECTION V. 2031 Sápium W. 2025 Stillíngia W. 2030 Hippómane W. 1992 Acidóton W. 2035 Húra W. 2029 Omphalea W. 2117 Excæcária W.
SECTION VI. 2039 Dalechámpia W. 1103 Euphorbia W. 1104 Pedilánthus Neck.