Menispermnm. dioecia hexandria. 815 



nearly round, of tlie size of a small pea, marked on the inside 

 near the base with tlie remaining' sdgnia, smooth, when ripe 

 of a black purple, and full of deep purple juice, ^'eer/ soli- 

 tary, nuciform, forming- nearly a complete ring with the join- 

 ing on the inner and under side, between the stigma, and in- 

 sertion of the peduncle. Iitlef/uments three ; the exterior one 

 rugose, and consisting of four valves, which fall oli" spontane- 

 ously in as many portions, if the pulp has previously been re- 

 moved, if not, they adhere to it, and are separated with it in 

 the dry state, exposing the middle, white, rugose, two-valved, 

 nuciform tunic, which has a large perforation in the middle ; 

 the inner one very thin, and adhering to the perisperm. Pe- 

 risperm conform to the seed, and of a light brown colour. 

 Embnjo inverse, annular. Cotyledons two, lanceolate. Ra- 

 dicle curved, with its apex opposite to the stigma. 



The juice of the ripe berries makes a good, durable, bluish 

 purple ink. A decoction of the fresh roots, with a few heads 

 of long pepper, in goats' milk, is administered for rheu- 

 matic and old venereal pains ; half a pint every morning 

 is the dose. It is reckoned heating, laxative, and sudorific. 



The fresh leaves taste simply herbaceous. Rubbed in wa- 

 ter they thicken it into a green jelly, Avhich is sweetened with 

 sugar, and drank when fresh made, to the quantity of half a 

 pint, twice a day for the cure of heat of urine in gonor- 

 rhoeas. If suffered to stand a few minutes, the gelatinous 

 or mucilaginous parts separate, contract and float in the cen- 

 tre, leaving the water clear like Madeira wine, and almost 

 tasteless. Curry is made of the leaves, for people under a 

 course of the roots, or jelly of the leaves. Goats, cows, and 

 buffaloes eat it. 



9. M. lauiifolium, R, 



Arboreous. Leaves lanceolar, lucid, entire, three-nerved. 

 Male and female flowers on compound, axillary racemes. 

 Benff. P«dma-golMncha. 



