205 



§ 12. Gardeniace^. 



Estivation contorted. 



Examples. Gardenia, Hillia. 



This last section is intermediate between Cinchonacese and Strychnaceae. 



Geography. Almost exclusively found in the hotter parts of the 

 world, especially within the tropics, where they are said to constitute about 

 l-29th of the whole number of flowering plants. In America the most 

 northern species is Pinchneya pubens, a shrub inhabiting the southern states 

 of North America ; the most southern is Nerteria depressa, a small herb 

 found in the Straits of Magellan. The order is represented in northern 

 regions by Stellatse. 



Properties. Powerful febrifugal or emetic properties are the grand 

 features of this order, the most efficient products of which, in these two 

 respects, are Quinquina and Ipecacuanha. The febrifugal properties depend 

 upon the presence of a bitter, tonic, astringent principle, which exists in 

 great abundance in the bark ; those of Cinchona are known to depend upon 

 the presence of two alkalies, called cinchonia and quina, both of which are 

 combined with kinic acid ; two principles which, though very analogous, are 

 distinctly different, standing in the same relation to each other as potassa and 

 soda. Turner, 648. Dr. Serturner has obtained some other vegeto-alkalies 

 from Cinchona, one of which he calls chinioidia. Brande, 12. 417. N. S. But 

 the existence of this is denied by MM. Henry and Delondre. Ibid. July 1830, 

 p. 422. A detailed account of the qualities, synonymes, and commercial 

 names of the species of Cinchona is given in Mr. Lambert's Illustration of 

 the Genera Cinchona, 4to. London, 1821. In the same work is a transla- 

 tion of Baron Humboldt's account of the Cinchona forests of South America. 

 Three species of Cinchona, the C. ferruginea, Vellozii, and Remijiana, are 

 found in Brazil, where they are used for the same purposes as the Peruvian 

 bark, to which, however, they are altogether inferior. PL Usuelles, no. 2. 

 The bark of French Guiana, possessing properties analogous to those of 

 Cinchona, is obtained from Portlandia hexandra, the Coutarea speciosa of 

 Aublet. Humb. Cinch. For. 43. Eng. ed. The Quinquina Piton and 

 Quinquina des Antilles are produced by species of the genus Exostema, and 

 are remarkable for possessing properties similar to those of true Quinquina, 

 but without any trace of either cinchonine or quinine. PL Usuelles, no. 3. 

 A kind of fever bark is obtained at Sierra Leone from Rondeletia febrifuga. 

 Besides these, a great number of other species possess barks more or less 

 valuable : Pinckneya pubens is the fever bark of Carolina ; Macrocnemum 

 corymbosum, Guettarda coccinea, Antirhea and Morinda Royoc, are all of 

 the same description. A lightish brown, bitter, and powerfully astringent 

 extract, called Gambeer, is obtained at Malacca by boiling the leaves of 

 Nauclea Gambeer ; it is sometimes substituted for Gum Kino. Ainslie, 2. 

 106. A decoction of the leaves as well as root of Weberea tetrandra is pre- 

 scribed in India in certain stages of flux, and the last is supposed to have 

 anthelmintic qualities, though neither have much sensible taste or smell. 

 The bark and young shoots are also used in dysentery. Ibid. 2, 63. Among 

 the emetics. Ipecacuanha holds the first rank : it is the root of Cephaelis 

 Ipecacuanha, a little creeping-rooted, half-herbaceous plant, found in damp 

 shady forests in Brazil. Similar properties are found in the roots of other 

 Cinchonacese of the same country, as in Richardsonia rosea and scabra, 

 Spermacoce ferruginea and Poaya, &c. A peculiar alkaline principle called 

 Emetia is found in Ipecacuanha, which contains 16 per cent of it. Turner, 

 653. The Raiz Preta, which is celebrated for its power in curing dropsy, 

 and in destroying the dangerous consequences of bites of serpents, is said to • 

 be related to Ipecacuanha. Ed. P. J. 1. 218. Several species of Psycho- 



