* 
706 ; ORD. XLI. Scabrid@. porsTEN1A CONTRAYERVA. 
immersed in the common receptacle, and occupying the whole of 
its disc; the former consisted but of two slender short filaments, 
with yellow anther ;7 the latter of a roundish germen, supporting 
a simple style, terminated by an obtuse stigma: the capsule, when 
ripe, possesses an elastic power, by which the seed is thrown out 
with. considerable force.*—It is a native of South America and 
some: of the West India Islands. } 
This plant. is extremely scarce in Europe: the annexed figure of 
it was taken from a plant now in the Royal garden at Kew, where 
it was lately introduced, and is, we believe, the first of this kind 
that ever grew in England.’ It does not sufficiently appear from 
what authority Linneus gives the Dorstenia Contrajerva. The 
London College has however adopted it in the list of the Mat. Med. 
and in compliance with this we have figured the plant; at the 
same time we must acknowledge, ‘that, upon the faith of Dr. 
Houston, who examined the Contrayerva plants in their native 
soil,* we should otherwise have had no doubt in referring the 
officinal radix contrayerva to the species he has described, as has 
been do SRN RTT igeeegsg: = ebsites has observed, 
that the roots of different species of Dorstenia promiscuously 
gathered and exported for those of the Contrayerva; and as.all the 
species bear a great resemblance to each other, we conceive the 
further discussion of this subject to be of no material consequence. 
Nich. Monardus,' almost two centuries ago, first makes mention of 
the plant called Contrayerva; and as this name is of Spanish 
+ This plant cannot therefore be properly said to belong to the class tetrandria. 
* Vide Jacquin. 1. c. . 
+ Jacquin found it growing on the island of Martinico. Vide I. c. 
» We do not find any species of the Dorstenia mentioned in the Hort. Kew, 
lately published. 
© The first species on the high ground near Old Vera Cruz: and the second on the 
high rocky ground about Campechy in the year 1730. Phil. Trans. vol. 37. p, 197. 
1 Mat, Med. p. 73. * App. Med. vol. 4, p. 572. 
§ Vide Clusius Exot. p. 311, 
RS een nag 
