BOTANIC MATERIA MEDICA. 183 
officinal. The name is derived from the Greek 
words /ykos, a wolf, and fous, a foot, from the 
supposed resemblance of the leaf to a wolf's 
foot. 
Matico, Matico, Artanthe Elongata. Natu- 
ral order Piperacez. This small perennial shrub 
is a native of South America, and attains a 
height of about twelve feet; the stem is erect, 
jointed, and adorned with rough, wrinkled, 
light-green leaves. with short petioles and very 
prominent veins; in shape, oblong or lanceo- 
late, and about 4 to 6 inches long; when found 
in commerce or the stores they are mangled or 
broken by handling, and difficult to recognize. 
The leaves contain, when dry, resin, muctlage, 
artanthic acid, much tannin, and a volatile otl. 
- Flowers, hermaphrodite and in spikes, the style 
wanting. The leaves of the Matico are hamos- 
tatic in their effects and powerfully styptic when 
applied externally to wounds. Matico is given 
in form of tincture and fluid extract, the dose of 
which is from 30 to60drops. The British Phar- 
macopceia recommends an infusion of the leaves. 
Myrcia, Bay, Myrcia Acris.—Natural order 
Myrtaceze. Commonly knownas the Clove tree. 
The Bay tree is an evergreen and native of the 
West Indies, and is adorned with broadly oval 
or elliptical shaped leaves, very prominently 
veined, and when bruised giving off an agreea- 
ble aromatic sweet odor, which is due to the 
volatile oil. The flowers have short peduncles 
and are small, red in color, with no particular 
fragrance; fruit ovoidal and resembles the Pi- 
mento. The leaves are distilled to furnish the 
oil of bay, also the spirit known as bay rum. 
