* ulcers and sores. 
38 MEDICAL BOTANY. 
sparse, pedicellated, erect, supported by a small ovate, concave, flexible bract. The calyx is dark green, cam 
divided into five small and nearly equal teeth, but one of them so far separated from the rest as to be found placed under 
the germen, and they all fall off when the flower withers. ) 
The corolla is composed of five white petals, four of these narrow, equal, lanceolate, and larger than the calyx; the 
fifth reflexed, broad, and twice the size of the others. The stamina consist of ten filaments inserted into the calyx, and 
inclining to one side; the anthere elongated, sharp-pointed, and sulcated. The prstil consists of an oblong germen, 
supported on a curved pedicle, inclining with the stamina to the same side; the style short, subulate and crooked, and 
the stigma simple. i al 
The pericarp is pendulous, straw-coloured, nearly two inches in length, me heed, somewhat curved, globular near 
the top and terminated by the curved style; contracted towards the base, an compressed into the form of a rough tube, 
wrinkled, ductile, thick, furnished with two ribs or edges. The globular part is composed of a single cell, which 
contains one seed, which is crescent-shaped, projecting from the cell, and between this and the pericarp is filled with a 
yellow, liquid balsam, which in time dries and becomes as hard as resin, ; 
The locality of this plant is the northern parts of South America, as Peru, New Granada, Colombia, and it is said 
Mexico. It grows in warm and sunny forests, flowering from August to October. Specimens of the plant were sent 
by Mutis to Linnaeus, but after his death, and were described by his son in his Supplement, under the synonym as 
stated. Hernandez says that it was cultivated in the gardens by the monarchs of Mexico. 
The juice constitutes Balsam of Peru. The tree is called by the natives of Peru Quinguino. The Balsam is 
procured by incisions at the beginning of the spring, when the showers are gentle, frequent, and short. If it be 
collected in bottles and well closed, it retains its fluidity for years ; in this state it is called Liquid White Balsam ; but 
when deposited in mats or calabashes, which is commonly done in Carthagena and the mountains of Tolu, after some 
time it condenses and hardens into resin, and is then denominated Dry White Balsam or Balsam of Tolu. (Ruiz.) 
If the bark be boiled in water and made into a fluid extract, it constitutes the Black Peruvian Balsam. 
Richard has made another species, the M. Toluiferum, to furnish the Balsam of Tolu; this may be so, or it may 
bea variety. The identity of the Dry White Balsam, and that of Tolu would seem to favour the latter supposition. 
The distinction has been made from the leaves of a specimen in Humboldt’s Herbarium. 
Balsam of Peru has an aromatic, pleasant odour, and a warm taste; it contains two resins, an oil, (connaméine,) 
benzoic (cinnamomic) acid, and extractive, from the analysis of Stolze. 
This drug is a stimulant, tonic, expectorant, &c. It is used in diseases of mucous surfaces, and as an epulotic in 
. _ The common article is not generally used internally. The dry is soluble in alcohol, hence the use of the Tincture, 
_ and its conversion into Syrup. 
Puate XXXI—Represents the plant in flower, an enlarged flower, and the legume and seed. 
GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA. 
LINNAEUS. 
COMMON LIQuoRIcE. 
exillum : five-cleft, bilabiate, with the two upper lobes united more than the others. 
rig Micnanaeating * iii Keel two-petalous or two-parted, eee acute. . Stamens diadelphous. acd 
extremely sweet roots. oe compressed, one-celled, one to four-seeded. Perennial herbaceous plants, 0 
Spectr. CHan—Root ¢ a pied pinnated. Racemes axillary. Flowers blue, white, or violet. erage 
ucculent, . , ng to a considerable length and depth, bright brown on the outsi , y é 
om erect, two feet high, Smooth, of a dull, glaucous, gray colour. Leaves pinnate ; leaflet 
