EUPIIORBIACE^. 251 



*E. COMMUNIS, L. E.S. Cultivated and half wild all over Burma. 



Kvet hsu. Kumorta, Katchall and Great Nitobar. 



Piilma-Christi or Castor- oil Plant. 



Capsules eehinato, rarely unarmed. 3- rarelj 4-coccoiis. Berries variegated, in 

 shape resembling a dog tick after a full meal, whence the generic name. The seeds 

 are acrid and, according, to Waring, 20 have caused death. Tlic oil simply expressed 

 without heat is most esteemed for medicine, being one of the best and safest purgatives 

 known, and is the ouly fixed oil solulilo in alcohol. The nauseous flavour may be 

 di-^guised by an ci]\va\ bulk of syrup of lemon, or the juice of a lemon in mucilage and 

 5ss. T. cardom. co. Balfour says the native Hakt'ems ])reparo a tasteless oil as follows : 

 The berries are boiled for two hours in water, then dried tor three days in the sun, and 

 deprived of their shells, then pounded and boiled again in fresh water, till the whole 

 of the oil has risen to the siu'facc. By this plan 13 lbs. of seeds should yield one 

 quart of tasteless oil. It is a method deserving attention, considcaing the hateful 

 odour of the oil usually given to children, and the diflicultios which therefore attend 

 its administration. 



Dr. Mason says that prior to the advent of tlie missionaries the Karens were 

 ignorant of the medicinal properties of the plant, but cultivated it " to obtain the 

 seeds to mix with their dyes and fix their coloui's." No particulars of the process 

 are given, nor are the dyes mentioned which are so fixed by castor-oil seeds, nor am 

 I aware that the plant is put to such a use in any part of India. 



HoMO.vorA, Loureiro. 



Flowern dioecious. Cuh/x of males 3-partcd and valvate, of females 5-parted 

 and imbricate in bud. Dixk none. Sfamens central, very numerous, and united 

 into many botiyomorph bundles. Anthers 1 -celled, adnate, almost globular. Geary 

 3- (rarely 4-)celled, cells l-o\-ulcd. Ciijjaide dry, o— 1 coccous. Seeds smooth, with 

 a spurious arillus. 



H. EiPARiA, Lour. US. Ava, C'hittagong, and all over Burma. 



' Mo-ma-kha (Kurz). 



Leaves linear. Flowers sessile in axillary pubescent spikes. 



X X Calyx imbricuie In had or irunfiny. 

 -f--|-4- Pcfah present, or if supjjresscd, the hypoyynous ylands opposite the calyx- 

 segments, 



f Fruit dry, capsular. 

 § Fluwers in panicles. 



Manihot, Plumicr. 



Flowers dicccious. Calyx imbricate in both sexes, in females deciduous. Petals 

 none. Disk urceolate. Stamens 10, free, in 2 series. Oeary usually surrounded 

 by 10 staminodes, 3-celled, cells 1-ovulcd. Capsules 3-coccous. Cocci 2-valved. 



*il. UTiLissniA, Pohl. E.S. Generally cultivated in Burma and Xicobars. 



Pooloo-pinnan-myouk (Kurz). 



Eoot tuberous up to 3 feet in length. 



This pliint is the Manihot, or Cassava, the roots of which are poisonous eaten 

 raw, but when grated, and deprived of the acrid sap by pressure, furnish a wholesome 

 food. The expressed juice throws down a deposit, which wlien washed ami dried 

 constitutes Tapioca. 



jATitornA, Linnaiis. 



Flowers usually monoecious. Calyx o-parted in both sexes, imbricate in bud. 

 Stamens 30-10 in G-2 whorls, central, filaments connate at the base. Anthers 



' Tiiis name is unduubtcilly uppliwl to tlie Willuw iu Pegu. — W'.T. 



