164 BOTANY 



IPECACUANHA. 



A pretty little annual, with a small saffron and orange- 

 coloured flower, is quite common, and is characterized as 

 the " ipecacuanha-plant." It is not the true ipecacuanha- 

 plant, but the root is emetic, and is used by the negroes 

 of the West Tndies. 



Asclep ias airassavica . 



JEW bush. 



This American plant, which is used in the West Indies 

 as a substitute for ipecacuanha, is seen in cultivation occa- 

 sionally, and in the neighborhood of Calcutta it is as 

 abundant as a wild plant. 



Pedilanthus tithymaloidef. 



MUDAR PLANT. 



The mudar plant is propagated for its medicinal pro- 

 perties, which are said to be very numerous, and Europe- 

 an practitioners recommend the juice of the plant in 

 cases of leprosy above all other preparations. We have 

 two varieties, one with a cream-coloured flower, and ano- 

 ther with a black and purple tinge. 

 Calotropis gig ante a. 



CAJ UP IT-OIL. 



An elegant little tree, with birch-like bark that pro- 

 duces cajuput-oil, is indigenous in the Karen forests of 

 the southern provinces, but I have not observed it north 

 of the valley of Palouk river, in latitude about 13°. 

 Melaleuca Cajuputi. 



castor-oil. 



The Palma Christi, or castor -oil plant, is very extensive- 

 ly propagated by the Karens, who have two or three va- 

 rieties. Until they were informed, however, by the mis- 

 sionaries, they were not at all aware of the medicinal pro- 

 perties of the plant; their object in planting the tree be- 

 ing, to obtain the seeds to mix with their dves, and fix their 



