2 MEDICINAL PLANTS OF QUEENSLAND, 



details, and much information of a scientific character was thereby 

 sacrificed. Since then, I have been enabled to extend my 

 observations in this subject and think it may not be unworthy of 

 a place in the proceedings of the Society, if I record all the 

 information I now possess. The utility of the subject will not be 

 questioned, and what is here given may serve to promote 

 investigation in this most practical part of the science of botany. 



Looking at our Queensland Mora one is struck with the great 

 number of species, which are either identical with, or closely 

 related to those in other parts of the world, particularly India, 

 where a great many have been used in the healing art with more 

 or less success, as may be seen by reference to works on the 

 subject. I shall therefore go through Bentham and Mueller's 

 excellent work, the " Flora Australiensis, " and note all plants of 

 our indigenous or naturalized flora that are mentioned in such 

 works as Dr. Lindley's "Flora Medica " giving the properties 

 for which they are noted. It might also be well to direct attention 

 to a few plants, which probably contain medicinal qualities. Thus 

 in the Northern scrubs, several species of Tetracera, a genus of 

 Dillemacecu, are found climbing to the toj)s of the timber trees. 

 The Queensland species of this plant are all endemic and untried, 

 but the Brazilian species are used in the curing of certain 

 complaints. Brasenia peltata, Pursh., of NympliceacecB, a curious 

 water lily, which may be seen on a few of the ponds of still water 

 near Brisbane, will be easily recognised by the mucilaginous 

 substance which covers the young shoots, and its oval peltate 

 floating leaves. In America it is considered nutritious, probably 

 from the large-grained starch it contains. The leaves are 

 astringent, and have been employed in phthisis and dysentery. 



Our beautiful pink water lily, Nelumhiiim sjjecio-nim, A\illd. is 

 not without uiediciual qualities, for we are told b}- Eudlicher, 

 that the milky viscid juice of the flower-stalks and leaf-stalks is 

 a remedy in ludia agaiust sickness and diarrhosa. The petals of 



