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nosae ; and that the Gums Arabic and Kino, and various precious medicinal 

 drugs, not to mention Indigo, the most useful of all dyes, are products of other 

 species, — it will be perceived that it would be difficult to point out an order with 

 greater claims upon the attention. It would be in vain to attempt to enume- 

 rate all its useful plants or products, in lieu of which I shall speak of the most 

 remarkable, and of those which are least known. 



The beauty of Dr. Wallich's Amherstia nobilis, a large tree bearing pendu- 

 lous racemes of deep scarlet flowers, is unequalled in the vegetable kingdom. 

 The general character of the order is to be eminently wholesome ; but there 

 are some singular exceptions to this. The seeds of Lathyrus Aphaca are said 

 to produce intense headach if eaten abundantly : the seeds of the Laburnum 

 are poisonous ; they contain a principle called Cytisine. The root of a species 

 of Mimosa, called Spongia, is accounted a poison in Brazil. Ed. P. J. 14. 

 267. The leaves and branches of Tephrosia are used for intoxicating fish ; 

 the leaves of Omithopus scorpioides are capable of being employed as vesica- 

 tories. The juice of Coronilla varia is poisonous. Dec. The powerful pur- 

 gative effects of Senna are possessed also by other species, even by Colutea 

 arborescens and Coronilla emerus. Cassia marilandica is found in North 

 America a useful substitute for the Alexandrian Senna. Barion,l. 143. [Bige- 

 low, 2. 166.] The Senna of the shops consists, according to M. Delile, of 

 Cassia acutifolia, Cassia Senna, and Cynanchum Argel. He says the Cassia 

 lanceolata of Arabia does not yield the Senna of commerce. The active prin 

 ciple of Senna is called Cathartine. It was discovered by MM. Lassaigne 

 and Fenuelle. Ed. P. J.7. 389. Purgative properties are also found in the 

 pulp within the fruit of Cathartocarpus fistula and Ceratonia siliqua, of Mimo- 

 sa fagifolia, and also of the Tamarind, the preserved pulp of which is so well 

 known as a delicious confection. Malic acid exists in the Tamarind, mixed 

 with tartaric and citric acids. Turner, 634. The same may be said of Inga 

 faeculifera, or the Poisdoux, of St. Domingo, that bears pods filled with a sweet 

 pulp, which the natives use. Hamilt. Prodr. 62. The roots of the liquorice 

 contain an abundance of a sweet subacrid mucilaginous juice, which is much 

 esteemed as a pectoral ; similar qualities are ascribed to Trifolium alpinum 

 roots. The root of Abrus precatorius possesses exactly the properties of the 

 liquorice root of the shops. .Sinslie, 2. 79. In Java it is found demulcent. 

 The seeds are considered by some as ophthalmic and cephalic, externally ap- 

 plied. The roots of Beans, Genistas, Ononis, Guilandina Nuga and Moringa, 

 Anthyllis cretica, &c. are diuretic. Dec. Those of Dolichos tuberosus and 

 bulbosus, and Lathyrus tuberosus, are wholesome food. Some are reported to 

 produce powerfully bitter and tonic effects. Various species of Geoffrasa, the 

 bark of iEschynomene grandiflora and of Caesalpinia Bonduccella are of this 

 class. The kernels of Guilandina Bonduccella are very bitter, and are sup- 

 posed by the native doctors of India to possess powerful tonic virtues. When 

 pounded small and mixed with castor oil, they form a valuable external appli- 

 cation in incipient hydrocele. Ainslie, 2. 136. The leaves area valuable discu- 

 tient, fried with a little castor oil, in cases of hernia humoralis. Ibid. The 

 bark of Acacia Arabica is considered in India a powerful tonic ; a decoction of 

 its pods is used as a substitute for that of the seeds of Mimosa saponaria for 

 washing. Ibid. 2. 142. The root of Hedysarum sennoides is accounted in 

 India tonic and stimulant. Ibid. 2. 53. These powers are probably connected 

 with the astringent and tanning properties of several others. Some of the 

 Algarobas or Prosopises of the western part of South America bear fruit, the 

 pericarp of which consists almost wholly of tannin. The bark of some of the 

 species of Acacia abound to such a degree in tanning principles as to have be- 

 come objects of commercial importance. In 1824 some tons of the extract of 

 Acacia bark were imported from New South Wales for the use of tanners. 



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