41-2 
or less united; sfigmas 2 to 5, simple, and usually distinct. /7az¢ a capsule, drupe, 
or berry ; seeds erect, one in each cell; axz/ none; eméryo large ; cotyledons broad ; 
albumen sparing and fleshy. 
This family furnishes us with only one other proven plant, viz.: the European 
Black Alder (Rhamnus frangula, Linn.), the bark of which is a mild but certain 
purgative, useful in habitual constipation. 
Among the other plants of the order useful to medicine, we find the French 
Berry, a purgative fruit yielded by Rhamnus ixfectorius, Linn. The fruit of the 
Indian Zizyphus enophila, Mill., is eaten by the natives, who consider the bark a 
fine vulnerary. The East lian Z. Fujuba, Lam., and the Persian Z. vulgaris 
yield a mucilaginous juice from which is made the famous Jujube Paste, esteemed 
for the manufacture of a pleasant pectoral lozenge, called by the French Fate de 
Fujube; the Arabian Z. lotus yields a berry known as the Lote; this is supposed 
to be the true Lotus of the Lotophagi. It is found on the eastern as well as the 
western extremity of the African desert, and is described by Mr. Park as small 
farinaceous berries, of a yellow color and delicious taste. The natives, he says, 
convert them into a sort of bread, by exposing them some days to the sun, and 
afterwards pounding them gently in a wooden mortar until the farinaceous part 
is separated from the stone. The meal is then mixed with a little water, and 
formed into cakes, which, when dried in the sun, resemble in color and taste the 
sweetest gingerbread. The roots of the North American Berchemia volubihs, 
De C., are claimed to be a useful remedy in cachexias and an antisyphilitic. The 
twigs of the New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus Americanus, Linn.) are very useful on 
account of their mild astringency as an injection in gonorrhea, gleet, and leu- 
corrheea ; this plant is now being proven for a place in our Materia Medica, The 
Mexican Ceanothus azurea, Dest., is considered a powerful febrifuge ; while the 
Senegal C. discolor is a useful astringent in dysentery. ovenia dulcis, Don., 
enlarges its peduncles in fruit to such extent, and they become so sweet and 
succulent, that the Japanese consider them a rare delicacy; they are said to 
greatly resemble in taste a Bergamot pear. 
History and Habitat.—The Purging Buckthorn is indigenous to Europe and 
Northern Asia, from whence it was introduced into this country as a hedge-plant ; 
it has escaped in many places in New York and New England, where it flowers 
from April to May, according to the season. 
The medical history of this plant extends back to a period dating from before — 
the Norman Conquest; it was then called Waythorn or Hartsthorn. In the 13th 
century Welsh physicians prescribed the juice in. honey as a mild aperient drink. 
In Spain it is referred to as early as 1305; and it is then noted by all writers on 
medical plants during the 16th century. Buckthorn first appeared in the London 
Pharmacopeeia in 1650; it has also held a place in the Pharmacopeeia of the United 
States, but its space is-now held by R. frangula, The Purging Buckthorn has now 
fallen into disuse on account of the violence of its action and the resulting severe 
irritation of the bowels. 
