meliacea:. 167 



from tl>e foliage resembling that of the Manna-Ash, ix,i\ta., 

 from (j.it.i honey. 



1. Melia sempervlrens. Hoop-tree, or West-India 



Lilac. 



Leaves bipinnate, leaflets about nine in number 

 incised slightly angulose shining, petiole roundish at 

 the base. 



Sicartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. II. 12>1 .—Bot. Reg. t. 643.— M. 

 Azedarach, var. /3. Linn. Sp. 530. 



HAB. Common ; especially in fences. 



FL. Throughout the year. 



A shrub, sometimes acquiring the port of a tree: branches 

 erect, long, terete, glabrous. Leaves at the ends of the branches : 

 leaflets ovato-lanceolate, acuminate, unequally serrated, nerved, 

 veined, of a bright green. Panicles axillary, solitary, corym- 

 bose : flowers numerous, showy, blue mixed with purple and 

 ■white, pedicelled. Calyx minute, pubescent. Petals lineari- 

 lanceolate, spreading, reflected. Tube of the filaments 10- 

 striated, toothed at the apex, of a deep purple, hairy within : 

 anthers oblong, yellow. Ovary conical, glabrous : style erect : 

 stigma 5-lobed. Drupe subglobose, yellow : nut 5-sulcated. 



This shrubby tree, although now very common, is probably, 

 as it is not noticed by either Sloane or Browne, an introduced 

 plant, and merely a variety of M. azedarach, a native of the 

 East Indies. 



We are informed by Dr Ainslie that a sort of toddy may 

 be obtained from young healthy trees of this species, as well as 

 from those of M. azadirachta, and that it is prescribed as a 

 stomachic by the Hindoo doctors. 



The bark of this tree is bitter and astringent, but by no 

 means disagreeable to the taste. We are informed by the 

 Author just quoted, that it is regarded, by the native practi- 

 tioners of India, amongst their most valuable tonics. They 

 generally prescribe it in powder or decoction combined with 

 some aromatic, as a substitute for Cinchona, in Fevers and 

 chronic rheumatism. The bark of the root is said to be a 

 powerful anthelmintic ; and is much employed by the Javanese, 

 and in the Mauritius, and the southern States of America. In an 

 overdose it is said to be followed by stupor, dilatation of the 

 pupils, difficulty of breathing, spasmodic twitchings, &c., symp- 

 toms similar to those produced by spigelia anthelmia. It 

 is given in decoction, prepared by boiling four ounces of the 

 fresh root in a quart of water, till it has acquired the colour of 

 strong coff'ee : of this, a table-spoonful is taken every hour, till 

 the worms come away. It acts on the tape- worm, as well as the 



