36 
IPOMQA batatoides. 
The Male Jalap. 
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNJIA. 
Nat. ord. CONVOLVULACER. 
IPOMG A. Bot. Reg. vol. 4. fol. 270. 
I. Latatoides ; caule volubili pubescente, foliis profundé 3-5-lobis lacinié in- 
termedia subrhombea acuminata lateralibus angulatis integrisque supra 
ad venas et subtis sparsé piloso-pubescentibus, pedunculis 1-2-floris 
folio sublongioribus, sepalis ineequalibus uno alterove acuminato, corolle 
elongatze infundibuliformis tubo ampliato. Bentham plant. Hartw. p. 46. 
It was for many years uncertain what the plant is which 
furnishes the Jalap of the shops. The upright Marvel of 
Peru was at one time thought to produce it; then the Ipomoea 
macrochiza of North American Botanists was taken for its 
parent, and also Ipomcea pandurata. But it now turns out 
that Jalap comes from none of these. The drug derives its 
name from the town of Xalapa in Mexico, in the woods near 
which it is collected ; Deppe and Schiede being there, found 
the gatherers of it digging it up, and so possessed themselves 
of living roots, which, upon flowering in Munich, proved to be 
a species of Convolvulaceous plant before unknown, and 
received the name of Ipomeea Purga; under which it is now 
known in our gardens, although it is in reality a species of 
Exogonium. But it was also ascertained that other species 
supply the Jalap gatherers; and Mr. Hartweg has been so 
fortunate as to acquire at Mestitlan one of them, the Purga 
- Macho, of which he sent two roots to the Horticultural 
Society. They are larger and longer than those of Exogo- 
nium Purga, and have produced the beautiful flowers now 
represented. 
So beautiful indeed are they, that a rival to them can 
hardly be found in this most lovely race. The stems do not 
ramble so much as some do, nor are the leaves so abundant as 
