66 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



from redandancies, and much as we have curtailed the list I am not quite sure that all ours ^re 



iitiexoeptioriahle. In an order generally so uamanageable and where dried specimens are so apt 

 to mislead, it is not to be wondered at, if many unteaeable ones have been admitted on its list 

 of species which will yet require to be reduced, and until this is done we can only make remote 

 guesses as to the numerical proportion they bear to the flora of the country. 



Properties and Usrs. Much has been written on the efficacy of the Mistletoe in the 

 cure of Epelipsy, and other spasmodic and nervous diseases, and some apparently very strong 

 cases in its favour have been published, but in spite of these it has fallen, at leas* among Eng- 

 lish practitioners, into total disuse, and no doubt were it as satisfactory to publish failures as 

 successful cases, there would be no want of examples of such to be found in the Medical Litera- 

 ture of the time. But as silent neglect seems equally efficaceous in discarding an inert medi- 

 cme from pracfice, that is the plan usually pursued in cases of failure. This plant having so 



completely failed to maintain its character as a medicine, it is unnecessary to say more regard- 

 ing it here. 



In its chemical properties it is somewhat more interesting ; the peculiar viscid juice sur- 

 rounding the seed (whence the name Flscum) as well as the green parts of the plant abound in 

 the peculiar, very adhesive matter called Bird-lime, principally composed of a resinous matter 

 whu'h in modern chemistry has received the name of Fiscin, and it is believed may be obtain- 

 ed from nearly every species of the order by the usual process of boiling the bruised bark for 

 several hours, then burying it in earth covered with stones until it ferments and changes to a 

 amucUaginous consistency, afterwards pounding it in a mortar until it becomes a paste and wash- 

 ing If with river water to remove the impurities. 



To those interested in ornithology and to whom it may be desirable to obtain uninji 

 specimens, it mny prove useful to know that plants abounding with this substance are of c 

 nion occurrence in this country. I know no other use to which they may be applied. 



red 



«lrp ^''^'m\°4 P^""^^^ \'*° SPKCiRs. Under this head [ have nothing to add to what is 



alrea^iy published in our Prodromus. The number of genera has since the publication of the 

 ones hi I '^"^-*"'1?"« « ' [oJromus been augmented from four to seven, but none of the new 

 SDecii^rnf IT- ^'^^^^ ^" Southern India two only have yet been detected, but two 



NeS TK u^'"^ ^^'"' ^r^ '"^'^'^"^ ^''^ *'y D^CandoUe, were found by Dr. Wallich ia 

 Thev HifFpr r* ^"^''^J^^' '"/he opinion of Dr. Arnott must be excluded from the order, 

 ineaonec lllT '"" 1 m ' "'^'^? ^" ^^'"^ terrestrial, not parasitic plants, and in hav- 

 asfoci'te ti h ^r^7' "'^ ^'^!;«Vr^''^ ""*.^^^^ ^ '^''''^^ <^"^^'"«^ a structure in which they 

 of n ntrd 1^^^^^ 4°^"1«« pendulous from the apei 



cLoir n 1 'i M T '^T'"^'"- coaibmed with the stamens opposite the segments of the 



trnkce Zn f '"'"'' ^\r-\'' to M,juneae and should such ultimately p?ove to be it« 

 Z P:r7ir^)T^^^ ^^^ - '"-•- «'"table station there! than among 



ing to \ ersn; - Texceu'rRor^' . to subdivide Loranthus into smaller genera, but accord- 



riftions-ofrabit.:;r: :^l'rr^-^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^'?^^'^ p^-p-'^^ -;^- 



tory, an opinion in which I fullv en LiT ^ sufficiently permanent to be received as satisfac- 



doing so,''butL hi not the 1/h^'''^^^^ "^y ^"'^'^'i-'^ permitted of my 



having aire.dv bee^p"" li^X \abk^^^^^ °"'' '^'r' * ^^^^ ^^^^^^ '« "^^ ^''^'^^^^"^ 



JconJI Selecae. A A >welr Dr 4 ?p ^ "^y^^^^^f «' «"^1 al«o by Sir W. J. Hooker in his 



fuller than mine, ! shall her:^?;;bUsU^irhl"o':ntS" "'^^' """^^"^" ^'^^ ''''' '' 



LORANTHUS LAGENIFLORUS. 



lora., ci.ca fio.. p^c^rrub^'iTuto.lT^: 



anth 



