794 



ARISTOLOCHIACEiE. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



pelled to swallow a few drops it perishes in convulsions. The root is also reputed to be 

 an antidote to serpent-bites. This plant is probably the celebrated Guaco of the Colom- 

 bians, concerning whose supposed efficacy as an alexipharmic, so much has been said by 

 Humboldt and others : at least a leaf of what is either this species, or one closely allied 

 to it, has been given me by Dr. Hancock as the genuine Guaco. It is not a little 

 remarkable that the power of stupifyiug snakes, ascribed in Carthagena to A. anguicida, 

 should be also attributed to A. pallida, longa, boetica, semper\'irens, and rotunda, which 

 are said to be the plants with which the Egyptian jugglers stupify the snakes they play 

 with. In medicine these plants are slightly aromatic stimulating tonics, useful in the 

 latter stages of low fever ; the taste is bitter and acrid ; the odom' strong and disagree- 

 able ; they are said to be sudorific, and have been employed as emmenagogues in 

 amenoiThoea. 



The stimulating qualities of Birthworts seem to reach their maximum in A. cjTiibifera, 

 labiosa, ringens, galeata, and macroura, Brazihan species, whose roots have a very 

 penetrating, disagreeable smell, hke that of Rue, and a strong, bitter, aromatic taste, 

 producmg almost entirely the same effects as the Vu'ginia snake-root (A. serpentaria). 

 They are very frequently used in Brazil against ulcers, paralytic affections of the exti-emi- 

 ties, dyspepsy, impotentia vunUs, in nervous and intermittent fevers, especially those in 

 which a predominant disorder of the pituitous membrane, or the whole Ij-mphatic system 

 has been observed. A. grandiflora, a foetid Jamaica species, is said by Swartz to be poi- 

 sonous to hogs. For the quahties of other species see Maii,ius Mat. Med. Bras. 107. One 

 of the Asarabaccas, or Asarums, is analogous in its action, y\z. A. canadense, which is a 

 warm aromatic stimulant and diaphoretic ; but A. europseiun is said to be purgative, 

 emetic, and dim-etic ; it is called Cabai-et in France, because, as it is said, the fre- 

 quenters of pot-houses use it to produce vomiting. Bragantia tomentosa, an intensely 

 bitter plant, is used in Java as an emmenagogue, according to Horsfield. 



GENERA. 



Asarum, Toitmef. 

 Heterotropa, Becaisne. 

 Aristolochia, Tournef. 



ClemaUtis, Endl. 



Glossula, Raf. 



Serpentaria, Raf. 



Pistolochia, Raf. 



Sipho, Endl. 

 Hocquartia, Dumort. 

 Siphisia, Raf. 

 Siphonolochia , Reich. 

 Cardiolochia, Raf. 

 Guaco, Liebm. 

 Dictyanthes, Raf. 



Einommia, Raf. 

 Endodaca, Raf. 

 Isotrema, Raf. 

 Niphns, Raf. 

 Bragantia, Lour. 

 Ceramiutn, Blum. 

 Vanhallia, Schult. f. 



Miinickia, Reichenb. 



Apama, Lam. 

 Trimeriza, Lindl. 

 Asiphonia, Grif. 

 Thottea, Rottb. 

 Trichopodium, Lindl. 



Trichopus, Gartn. 



Numbers. Gen. 8. Sp. 130. 



NepenthacecB? ? 

 Position. — Santalacete. — A ristolochiace^.- 

 Dioscoreaccce. 



-Loranthacese. 



