34 MEDICAL BOTANY. 
CROTON ELEUTERIA., 
SWARTZ. 
Sex. Syst.—Moneecia, Monadelphia. 
Gen. Cuar.—F lowers moncecious, or very rarely dicecious. Calyx five-parted. Male. Stamens ten, or more, 
distinct. Female. Petals none. Styles three, divided into two or more partitions. Capsule tricoccous. (Jussieu. ) 
Specir. Cuar.—A small tree, from five to twenty feet high. Branches and twigs angular, rather compressed, stri- 
ated downy, ferruginous. Leaves stalked, alternate, ovate, or cordate lanceolate, with a short but obtuse point, quite 
entire, slightly nerved, green on the upper surface, with a few scattered leprous dots, beneath, silvery and densely 
downy, about two inches long, petioles scarce half an inch long, scurfy. Racemes axillary and terminal, branched or 
compound; the branches short, divaricating, covered with numerous, closely parted, sub-sessile, moncecious flowers. 
Maks uppermost and smallest. Females lowest, few, and on short stalks. Filaments ten to twelve. Capsule 
roundish, minutely warted, scurfy, not bigger than a pea, with three furrows, three cells, and six valves. 
This plant is a native of the West India Islands. It is said to grow in Jamaica and the Bahamas, but its specific 
nature would indicate that it is the product of Eleuthera, one of the Lucayas. It affords at least a portion of the Cas- 
cartlla bark. | | 
Cascarilla bark is brought into this market in two forms, one in quills, the other in chips. The quills vary from 
the size of a crow’s quill to that of the finger; externally, they are white and silvery, rugose and cracked, the epidermis 
peeling off readily ; internally, they are dark coloured. The substance is compact, hard, heavy, with a short resinous 
fracture. The taste is warm, spicy, and bitter, the odour aromatic. The chips are thin, delicate, curved longitudi- 
nally, and sometimes connected with the wood. Perhaps these varieties come from different plants. 
This bark is remarkable for burning with odour of musk, and hence its use in fumigating compounds. It con- 
tains volatile oil, resin and extractive. 
Cascarilla is brought from the West Indies in bags or casks. 
Pereira states that the first author who mentioned it was Stisser, in 1686. 
As a medicine, it is stimulating and tonic, and is sometimes used as a substitute for Cinchona. It may be used 
in powder, infusion and tincture. 
Puate LXXVIII.—Represents the plant in flower, and the magnified flower and fruit. 
CROTON TIGLIUM. 
LAMARCK. 
PURGING CROTON. 
Sex. Syst.—Moneecia, Monadelphia. 
Gen. Cuar.—Ut supra. ag 
Specir. Cuar.—A middle sized tree. Young branches terete, smooth, shining, a little furrowed towards the a 
Leaves oval oblong, acute, and 3-5 nerved at base, acuminate at the point, with shallow glandular ee ee 
membranous, with two glands at their base, covered when young, with extremely minute, stellate, scattered : me 
Petioles channelled, about one-third of the length of the leaf; when quite young, furnished with stellate hairs, ee as 
losing them. Racemes terminal, erect, male at apex, female below. Flowersdowny. Male. Calyx five-cleft. hee 
five, (white,) lanceolate, woolly. Stamens fifteen, distinct. Female. Calyx five-cleft, permanent. a ee a ile 
Capsules oblong, obtusely triangular, the size of a hazelnut, closely covered with minute stellate hairs ; the cells Lind- 
pletely filled with the solitary seeds. Skin of the seeds pale dull brown, overlaying a darker hard integument. ( 
ley. oo 
= This plant is a native of India, of Ceylon, and the Moluccas. From the seeds is obtained the drastic 01 
as Croton Oil. (Oleum Tiglit). 
], known 
