6 MEDICINAL PLANTS OF QUEENSLAND, 



in bilious fevers, and inveterate diarrhoea arising from atony of 

 the muscular fibre. 



In the Buckthorn family we have two species of Zizi/jyTius, which 

 have been found useful in the healing art. Z. (Enoplia, Mill, 

 a straggling shrub, bearing sharp prickles and downy three to 

 five nerved leaves, and fruit the size of peas, black, edible. It 

 is said that a decoction of the bark of the fresh root j^romotes 

 the healing of fresh wounds. Z.jujuha, Lam. A small tree, 

 often planted in our gardens for its fruit, is, with the last found 

 about Cape York and on the islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria 

 in a wild state. Both are common in India, and of this last the 

 fruit there is prepared into pectoral lozenges called ''Patede 

 Jujube, " and the bark is emj)loyed in the Moluccas as a remedy 

 for diarrhoea. The -^yqHj climber Carcliospermum SaUcacahum, 

 Linn., called in Queensland Balloon climber, in other parts 

 Heartseed, or Heartpea from the heart-shaped scar on the seed. 

 In India the root is considered aperient, diaj)horetic and diuretic. 

 The plant will be easily recognised by its climbing habit, twice 

 ternate leaves, and bladder-like capsule, which resembles the 

 calyx, that encloses the fruit of the Cape Gooseberry. 



SchnideUa serrata, DC, is a straggling shrub often met within 

 the swamps of Northern Queensland near the coast. The leaves 

 are of three leaflets and the berries bright red. The roots are 

 astringent and are employed in India, where the plant is common 

 to stop diarrhoea. These two last plants belong to Sapindacecu 

 the Soapwort family. 



Leguminosae, one of the largest orders of Phsenogams is divided 

 into three sub-orders, all of which are well represented in 

 Australia. The known genera are a little over 400, examples of 

 about a fourth are found in Australia. To this order we are 

 indebted for very many useful and ornamental plants, but after 

 enumerating many of its products Dr. Lindley says: — ''There 

 is this, however to be borne in mind, in regarding the qualities 



