36 



IPOMCEA batatoides. 

 The Male Jalap. 



PENTANDRIA M0N0GYN1A. 



Nat. ord. ConvolvulacejE. 

 IPOMCEA. Bot. Beg. vol. A.fol. 370. 



I. batatoides ; caule volubili pubescente, foliis profundi 3-5-lobis lacinia in- 

 termedia, subrbombea acuminata lateralibus angulatis integrisque supra 

 ad venas et subtus sparse piloso-pubescentibus, pedunculis 1-2-floris 

 folio sublongioribus, sepalis insequalibus uno alterove acuniinato, corolla? 

 elongatae infundibuliformis tubo ampliato. Bent ham plant. Hartw.'p. 46. 



It was for many years uncertain what the plant is which 

 furnishes the Jalap of the shops. The upright Marvel of 

 Peru was at one time thought to produce it ; then the Ipomoea 

 macrochiza of North American Botanists was taken for its 

 parent, and also Ipomoea pandurata. But it now turns out 

 that Jalap comes from none of these. The drug derives its 

 name from the town of Xalapa in Mexico, in the woods near 

 which it is collected ; Deppe and Schiede being there, found 

 the gatherers of it digging it up, and so possessed themselves 

 of living roots, which, upon flowering in Munich, proved to be 

 a species of Convolvulaceous plant before unknown, and 

 received the name of Ipomoea Purga ; under which it is now 

 known in our gardens, although it is in reality a species of 

 Exogonium. But it was also ascertained that other species 

 supply the Jalap gatherers ; and Mr. Hartweg has been so 

 fortunate as to acquire at Mestitlan one of them, the Purga 

 Macho, of which he sent two roots to the Horticultural 

 Society. Thev are larger and longer than those of Exogo- 

 nium Purga, and have produced the beautiful flowers now 

 represented. 



So beautiful indeed are they, that a rival to them can 

 hardly be found in this most lovely race. The stems do not 

 ramble so much as some do, nor are the leaves so abundant as 



