TAPAVERACE^. 



43. A. mexicana Toum. elem. 204. t. 121. Linn.sp.pl. 

 727. Bot. Mag. t. 243. DC. prodr. i. 85. Macfadyen, Fl. 

 Jam. 20. — Mountainous plains; Mexico; Louisiana; United 

 States ; West Indies, Brazil, St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, 

 Mauritius, Java, Bengal, Sandwich Islands. 



Annual. Stem somewhat glaucous, erect, terete, rather naked of 

 leaves, bristly with firm stiff hairs. Leaves alternate, sessile, glaucous, 

 oblong, repand, sinuated, with prickly angles. Peduncles axillary, 

 short, 1-flowered. Sepals 2 or 3, prickly, deciduous, concave at the 

 point, awned. Petals 4 or 6, yellow, large, crumpled. Stamens 

 about 20, as long as the ovary which is oblong, 3-angular and bristly. 

 Stigmas 4-6, reflexed. Capsule oblong, angular, bristly. Seeds 

 roundish, compressed, scrobiculate. — Dr. Barham says that this plant 

 is called Figo del inferno by the Spaniards, because of the power- 

 ful narcotic effects of the seeds, which are stronger than opium. Dr. 

 Affleck states, that an emulsion prepared from them acts first as an 

 anodyne and afterwards as a purgative. Dr. Macfadyen denies these 

 effects ; but Mr. Huggins says that in Nevis the oil obtained from the 

 seeds is used as a substitute for castor oil. Med. Bot. Trans., 1829, 

 p. 1. This is confirmed by Dr. Michael Short. The juice is 

 employed in India in chronic ophthalmia and in primary siphilitic 

 sores. The infusion is said to be diuretic, and to give relief in stran- 

 gury from blisters. 



SANGUINARIA. 



Petals 8-12. Stamens 24. Stigmas 2. Capsule oblong, 

 2-valved, ventricose, acute at each end, with deciduous valves, 

 and 2 permanent placentae. 



44. S. canadensis Linn. sp. pi. 723. Bot. Mag. t. 162. 

 Bigelow med. bot. i. t. 7. — An early spring flower in most 

 parts of the United States and Canada, in woods. (Puccoon, 

 Blood root, Red root, &c.) 



Smooth throughout. Rhizoma creeping, emitting a bright orange 

 juice when cut. Leaves radical, solitary, on long channelled petiolts ; 

 reniform or heart-shaped, with large roundish lobes, separated by ob- 

 tuse sinuses. The under side strongly reticulated with veins, paler than 

 the upper, and at length glaucous. Peduncles solitary, axillary, round, 

 1-flowered, infolded by the young leaf. Sepals 2, concave, ovate, obtuse, 

 falling off when the corolla expands. Petals 8, spreading, concave, 

 obtuse, the external ones longer, so that the flower has a square appear- 

 ance. This is its natural character, although cultivation sometimes 

 increases the number of petals. Stamens numerous, with oblong yel- 

 low anthers. Ovary oblong, compressed ; style none ; stigma thick, 

 somewhat 2-lobed. Capsule oblong, acute at both extremities, 2-valved. 

 Seeds numerous, roundish, compressed, dark shining red, half sur- 

 rounded by a white vermiform raphe. — An acrid narcotic. In small 

 doses it lowers the pulse, in smaller still it has some reputation as a 

 tonic stimulant. Powder of the rhizoma acts violently as an emetic ; is 

 a useful escharotic in cases of soft pol\ pi ; has been recommended in 

 typhoid pneumonia, phthisis, croup, hydrothorax, jaundice, &c. 



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