-MENISPERMACE. VII. Coccutus. 
FIG. 29. 
acuminated, quite entire. Y%. ^. 
S. Native of the south-eastern 
„coast of Africa, especially in shady 
woods of Oibo and Mozambique. 
Menispérmum palmatum, Lam. 
dict. 4. p. 95. D. C. ess. prop. 
pled. 2. p. 79. Colomba, Colum- 
bo or Kalumbo, Berry, in asiat. 
reser. 10. p. 385. t. 5. Male plant. 
Roots perennial, thick, with fusiform 
branches (f. 29.c.). Stems twining, 
annual, about the thickness of a 
goose-quill, The roots of this 
plant are sold in the shops under 
the name of Calumba or Colomba 
Root ; it is a bitter stomachic, use- 
ful in dysentery, diarrhoea, and dys- 
pepsia. This root is produced in 
Africa in the country of the Caffres, and forms an important article 
of commerce with the Portuguese at Mozambique. It is remark- 
able that the place of the growth of this important plant should: 
have been so long unknown to Europe. It is never cultivated, but 
grows naturally, and in great abundance in the thick forests that 
are said to cover the coasts of Oibo and Mozambique, and inland 
about 15 or 20 miles. The roots are dug up in March, the dry 
Season, or when the natives are not employed in agriculture, not 
the original root, which is perennial, but off-setts from its base, 
Whi re of sufficient size, yet not so old as to be full of fibres, 
Ich render it unfit for commerce. Soon after it is dug up, 
in the haet into slices, strung on cords and hung up to dry 
the sun | o E It is deemed merchantable when on exposure to 
black preaks short, and of a bad quality when it is soft or 
far vem oy Tet Is in high estimation among the Africans, even 
is fregus e rom: Mozambique, for the cure of dysentery, which 
plain k of ens them, also for the cure of syphilis and all com- 
order. T ong standing, and as a remedy for almost every dis- 
general powder, it is used for the cure of ulcers. It is 
inches A ought In transverse sections, from half an inch to three 
one to fy ae? rarely divided across. This is evidently 
forated with hate its drying ; for the large pieces are all per- 
sintly aro oles. The root is yellow within. Its smell is 
vessels. matic, and readily lost when not preserved in close 
bark hig E taste 1s unpleasant, bitter, and somewhat acrid ; the 
ts active ee strongest taste ; the pith is almost mucilaginous. 
50 conta stituent is a bitter principle called Cinchonine. It 
one-fourth ae great deal of mucilage. _ Planche says it contains 
e in water Ae weight of starch. It is accordingly more solu- 
Water, and d ian in alcohol. The tincture is not precipitated by 
solution of rors not affect the colour of infusion of turnsole, or 
iseases atte e Pin phate of iron. In India it is much used in 
and it ic wid with bilious symptoms, particularly in cholera ; 
Vomiting, T to re sometimes very effectual in other cases of 
drachm of th pro vices excellent effects in dyspepsia. Half a 
Colombo-roor pow er is given repeatedly in the day. The false 
from the Uo? e produce of Frasèra Waltèri, has been imported 
| e United States. (f. 29.) 
a m ate-leaved Cocculus or Colombo-root. F1.? Clt. ? Pl. tw. 
acutish, muas SCENS (St. Hil. fl. bras. 1. p. 59.) leaves ovate, 
clothed with veviah 7 somewhat cordate at the base, crenated, 
rasil in woods Them beneath. k. U.S. Native of 
treatment of ferer. 5 plant is employed by the Brasilians in the 
is also regarded er, 1t being considered a powerful febrifuge, and 
reyish as a powerful specific in diseases of the liver. 
yish Cocculus. Shrub cl. 
somew: a are (D. C. syst. 1. p. 523.) leaves orbicular, 
Ordate, blunt, 5-7-nerved, mucronulate, under surface 
107 
cinereously-pubescent ; male pedicels large, 1-3, racemose at the 
apex, shorter than the petioles. h.%.S. Native of Malabar 
and Tranquebar. Menispérmum orbiculatum, Lin. spec. 1468. 
—Rheed. mal. 11. p. 127. t. 62.—Pluk. amalth. 61. t. 384. f. 6. 
Flowers small, villous on the outside. Perhaps a species of 
Cissampelos. 
Orbicular-leaved Cocculus. Fl. ? Clt. 1790. Shrub tw. 
34 C. piversiro'tius (D. C. syst. 1. p. 523.) lower leaves 
cordate, middle ones ovate, upper ones oblong, all of which are 
truncate obtuse and mucronate; peduncles 1-3-flowered, shorter 
than the leaves. h.%.S. Native of Mexico. Menispérmum, 
spec. nov. Moc. et Sesse, fl. mex. icon. ined. Flowers small, 
white. Berries fleshy, reddish, almost kidney-shaped. Very 
like C. Carolinus, but is easily distinguished from it by the tops 
of the leaves being truncate. 
Variable-leaved Cocculus. Shrub tw. 
35 C. Carort nus (D. C. syst. 1. p. 524.) leaves cordate or 
ovate, entire, obtuse or somewhat 3-lobed, under surface velvety- 
pubescent ; male racemes floriferous from the base, female ones 
3-flowered. k. ^. H. but often herbaceous in gardens in cold 
countries. Native of Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, in woods 
and hedges. Menispérmum Carolinum, Lin. spec. 1468. Wend- 
landia populifolia, Willd. spec. 2. p. 275.—Pursh. fl. amer. sept. 1. 
p. 252.— Dill. elth. 223. t. 178. f. 219. Androphilax scandens, 
Wendl. obs. p. 38. hort. herrenh. 3. t. 16. Baumgartia scandens, 
Meench, meth. 650. Flowers dioecious, but according to Wend- 
land often hermaphrodite. Berries, when ripe, red. 
Carolina Cocculus. Fl. Jun. Jul. Clt. 1759. Shrub tw. 
36 C. LaNnucino sus (Blum. bijdr. fl. ned. ind. ex Schlecht. 
Linnea. 1. p. 498.) woolly ; leaves broad-ovate, retuse, scarcely 
cordate at the base; corymbs axillary, crowded, much shorter 
than the leaves ; pedicels somewhat umbellate. kh. U.S. Na- 
tive of Java. 
Woolly Cocculus. Shrub cl. l 
37 C. PLATIPHY'LLA (St. Hil. fl. bras. 1. p. 59. pl. us. bras. 
t. 42.) leaves broad, heart-shaped, obsoletely-crenate, tomentose 
beneath. h. U.S. Native of Brasil in the northern parts of | 
the province of Minas Geraes, where it is called Batua. This 
plant is employed by the Brasilians in the treatment of inter- 
mittent fevers, and it is also regarded by them as a powerful 
remedy in diseases of the liver. 
_ Broad-leaved Cocculus. Shrub cl. 
§ 3. Leaves ovate, oval, or oblong. 
38 C. Tuunse’rem (D. C. syst. 1. p. 524.) leaves ovate, ob- 
tuse, with a point, under surface villous ; lower leaves somewhat 
triangular, upper ones orbicular; flowers axillary, panicled. 
. ^O. S. Native of Japan near Nagasaki. Menispérmum 
orbiculatum, Thunb. jap. 194. Compare it with Braam. icon. 
china. t. 2. f. 1.; perhaps the same, or a new species. 
Thunberg’s Cocculus. Shrub tw. 
39 C. virto sus (D. C. syst. 1. p. 525.) leaves ovate or lan- 
ceolate, 3-5-nerved, younger ones villously-tomentose, adult 
ones pubescent, branchlets pubescent ; pedicels few-flowered, 
length of petioles. h.or %.^. S. Native of Malabar and the 
East Indies. Plant very villous, having the appearance of a 
species of Evdlvulus. 
Var. a; leaves oblong-lanceolate.—Pluk. amalth. 62. t. 384. 
f. 3. Menispérmum myosotoides, Lin. spec. 1469. 
Var. B; leaves all ovate.—Pluk. amalth. 61. t. 384. f. 7. 
Menispérmum hirsutum, Lin. spec. 1469. 
Var. y ; upper leaves ovate, lower ones cordate.— Pluk. amalth. 
61. t. 384. f. 5. 
Villous Cocculus. Pl. tw. 
40 C. cCoTONEA'sTER (D. C. syst. 1. p.525.) leaves oval, quite 
entire, mucronate, under surface tomentose as wellas the branches ; 
P2 
