EuPHORBiALEs.] EUPHORBIACE^. 279 



in the countries where they grow, many are found in the Euphorbiaceous Oi'Jer. The 

 root of Stillingia sylvatica is regarded in Carolma and Florida as a speeitie in syphihtic 

 maladies ; the same reputation attaches to Cnemidostachys Chamii^lea in India, and 

 Jatropha offichiahs (Raiz de Tihu) in Brazil. The Tragias volubilis of America, and 

 involuerata, eamiabiua, and Mercm'ialis of Asia, are noted for their solvent, diaphoretic 

 and dim*etic quahties. More especially the root of Tragia involucrata is reckoned, by 

 the Hindoo doctors, among those medicmes which they conceive to possess virtues hi 

 altering and correctmg the habit in cases of cachexia, and in old venereal complaints 

 attended with anomalous symptoms. The Mercuriahs or Dog Mercury of Europe is 

 another active genus. M. annua has a nauseous taste and is slightly purgative ; M. 

 perennis is much more active, sometimes produchig violent vomiting, diarrhoea, a burn- 

 ing heat in the head, convulsions, and death ; M. tomentosa, a Mediterranean shrub, 

 is used in hydrophobia ; it is \T^ilgai'ly believed to this day that if women eat the male 

 individuals of this plant, which is dioecious, they will conceive boys, and if the female 

 girls ; when boiled with other vegetables it acts as a mild pm-gative (English Mercm'y 

 must not be confounded with these plants. See Chexopods). Omphalea ti-iandra, 

 a Guayana plant, has a white juice which turns black in drying, and is used in place of 

 ink. In Cicca disticha, an Indian bush, the root is violently purgative, a decoction of 

 the leaves diaphoretic. A decoction of Croton perdicipes, called Pe de Perdis, Alcara- 

 phora, and Cocallera, in different provinces of Brazil, is much esteemed as a cm'e for 

 syphilis, and as a useful diuretic. The root of another species, called Velamo do 

 Campo, C. campestris, has a pui'gative root, also employed against similar disorders. 

 It is, however, more common to find balsamic juices in the American Crotons, among 

 which balsamifer is employed in Martinique in the preparation of the hqueur called 

 Eau de Mantes ; frankincense is extracted fi'om C. thurifer and adipatus on the banks 

 of the Amazons ; C. humilis is used for its aromatic quahties in medicating baths in the 

 West Indies ; at the Cape of Good Hope the fragrant C. gratissimus is used by the 

 Koras as a perfume ; the balsam of C. origanifohus is mentioned among the sub- 

 stitutes for copaiva ; its leaves and bark are considered diaphoretic and antispastic ; 

 finally, C. niveus is a Milnerary. 



The most important, however, among the aromatic Spurgeworts are the plants that 

 yield Cascarilla, a valuable bitter, tonic, aromatic, stimulant bark, miported from the 

 West Indies. This drag has been at one time referred to C. Eleuteria, a Bahama 

 shrub, at another to C. Cascarilla, a Jamaica bush, called, from its appearance, Wild 

 Rosemary. As a good deal of controversy has been raised respecting this matter, it is 

 as well to state that the question is now set at rest in consequence of the Hon, J. C. 

 Lees, Chief Judge in the Bahamas, having sent home specimens of the Cascarilla tree, 

 with the bark itself and the leaves adhermg to it. It proves to be this species, con- 

 cerning wliich Mr. Lees has favom-ed me with the following note : " The plant is 

 scarcely kno^^'n here by the name of Cascarilla, but is commonly called Sweet Wood 

 Bark, and often Eleuthera Bark, because it is chiefly gathered on the island of 

 Eleuthera. It is the only bark receivmg the name of Cascarilla exported from the 

 Bahamas, where the tree gi'ows in great abundance." It is, however, certain that the 

 C. pseudo-China furnishes Cascarilla in Mexico, where it is called Quina blanca, and 

 Copalche Bark ; and C. nitens,cascarilloides,micansandsuberosus,seem to be little mfe- 

 rior to the C. Eleuteria itself. 



^ The bark of the Asiatic Bridelias is astringent ; so is that of Stylodiscus trifohatus, 

 whose wood is of a red colour, as is the bark ; the former is employed for masts 

 and spars of small vessels in Java. — Horsfield. The common Box tree, Buxus 

 sempervii-ens, has a bark with qualities similar to those of Guaiacums, for which it 

 has been substituted ; the leaves are bitter, and very pm'gative ; nevertheless, it is 

 alleged that they have been used as a substitute for Hops. — Endl. They say that in 

 some parts of Persia where Box trees abovmd, camels cannot be employed because 

 it is fotmd impracticable to prevent their browsing on the leaves, which kill them. 

 The root and bark of Codiseum variegatum are acrid, and excite a burning sensation 

 in the mouth if chewed : but the leaves are sweet and cooluig. The root, leaves, and 

 young shoots of Phyllanthus Nirui'i ai-e considered, in India, deobstruent, diuretic, 

 and healing ; the leaves are very bitter, and a good stomachic. Some other species, par- 

 ticularly P. urinaria, are powerful dim-etics. The bruised leaves of P. Conami are used 

 for mebriatmg fishes. The boiled leaves of Plukenetia corniculata are said to be an ex- 

 cellent potherb, for which purpose the plant is cultivated in Amboyna. Acalypha Cupa- 

 meni, an Indian herb, has a root which, biniised m hot water, is cathartic ; a decoction of 

 its leaves is also reported to be laxative. The flowers of Catmnis spiciflorus are 

 spoken of as a specific in diaiThoea, either taken in decoction or in conserve. 



The oil of the seeds is perhaps the most important part of the useful products of this 

 Order. It is often among the most valuable of known diuretics and purgatives. Croton 



