166 ORD. VIII. ‘Sarmentacee. RUSCUS ACULEATUS. 
physicians, at this time, agree in considering it as a very inert sub- 
stance, and therefore it is rarely employed. Like the sarsaparilla, 
by which it has been superseded, it contains a considerable share 
of bland nutritive matter, and appears to us not less adapted to the 
auxilliary purposes of medicine. 
RUSCUS ACULEATUS. BUTCHER’s BROOM, or KNEE HOLLY. 
SYNONYMA. Ruscus. Pharm. Geoff. Dale. 169. Alston. i. 
386. Lewis. 546. Murray. i. p. 341. Bergius. 816. Edinb. 
New Dispens. 267. Bauh. Pin. 470. Ger. Emac. 907. Park. 
Theat. 253. Raii. Hist. 664, Synop. 262. Hudson. Flor. Ang. 
437. Haller. Hist. Stirp. Helv. n. 1238. With. Bot. Arr. 1132. 
Miller. Tilust.t. 155. Eng. Bot. 560. 
Dioecia Syngenesia. Lin. Gen. Plant. 1139. 
Gen. Ch. Mase. Cal. 6-phyllus. Cor. 0. 0. Neéarium, centrale, 
ee ~-ovatum, apice perforatum. um. 
Fem. Calyx, Corolla, et NeGiarium maris. Stylus 1. Bacca 
3-locularis. Sem. 2, 
Sp. Ch, R. foliis.supra. floriferis nudis. 
A SMALL evergreen shrub, seldom, much exceeding a foot in 
height. Stalk strong, smooth, channelled. Leaves floriferous, sessile, 
or on very short, footstalks, ovate, rigid, sharply pointed,” entire, 
anarked with numerous parellel veins, Flowers male and female on 
* Hence Virgil says, ** Horridior rusco.” Ec. 7, V. 41. 
aspera rusci, 
Vimina arr silvam, eel 
