114 POISONOUS PLANTS 



known as C. Persicum. It forms a large globular 

 tuber, which in Sicily is eaten by swine ; hence it 

 was formerly called Sowbread. In a fresh state it 

 is acrid and bitter ; but when dried its acridity is 

 diminished, and when roasted it becomes perfectly 

 harmless. It acts as a violently drastic purgative, 

 and is emetic. It is sometimes used, but often with 

 serious results, accompanied by internal inflam- 

 mation and even terminating in death. It is 

 singular, writes Dr. Hogg, in addition to the pre- 

 ceding details, that while pigs can eat any quantity 

 of the tubers with impunity, the juice acts as -a 

 poison on small fish, if mixed with the water in 

 which they are, in the very small proportion of i in 

 3000. The active properties reside in a principle 

 called Cyclamine, a powerful poison, producing 

 effects similar to those of Woorari, which the 

 Indians of Rio Negro use for poisoning their 

 arrows. 



Convolvulus Family {Convolvulacece). — The 

 members of this family are mostly climbers ; but 

 when a genus has species of which some live in 

 shady woods, the other in hot, dry deserts, the 

 former climb, but the latter do not ; such habits 

 being adaptations to two very different conditions 

 of environment. 



The form of the corolla is like the mouth of a 

 trumpet, and various kinds of convolvulus must 

 be familiar to all. 



