187 
dans la matiére Médicale Chinoise, ainsi que la féve Saint- 
Ignace.’’ St. Ignatius Beans from the Philippines wes course 
came by sea and there can be little doubt that Nuz-vomica also 
has largely been carried by trading junks to Hongkong or some 
other Chinese po 
t is curious that, though Nuwe-vomica appears to have long 
been known to the Chinese, Bretschneider makes no reference to 
the drug. 
It is therefore impossible to say how Nuz-vomica first became 
known to the Chinese, and whether it is really indigenous in 
Cochin-China or, as seems more probable, that it thas been 
introduced there by human agency. 
Prof. H. Jumelle, Dinca cf the Colonial Museum :, Mar- 
seilles, has very kindly sent samples of ‘‘S. Nua-vomica’’ seeds 
from Cochin-China and from Cambodia to Kew, and the seeds are 
certainly those of true Nuzx-vomica 
P reenish, of the Pharmaceutical Society, London, who 
has kindly examined the two samples of seeds, informs me that 
the alkaloids ster and Brucine occur in about normal pro- 
portions in both samples. In this connection it is of interest to 
recall the feline paebeon from a letter written by M. Pierre, 
from Saigon, to Sir J oseph Hooker, which is published in the 
Kew Pb neh 1877, p. 31:— 
e bark of Strychnos Nuaz-vomica is regarded in Cambodia 
and ‘Siem as a poison no less certain than that extracted from 
the seeds. The natives have remarked the fact, which is also 
moss or otherwise pr £ the action of light. In 
collecting the bark great sia is paid in caer to the 
ages under whic t has en pro 
ippe 
reason for maintaining Dop’s variety oligosperma as both the 
size of the fruit vet the number of seeds tends to be variable. 
The leaves in some of the specimens differ a little from those of 
the Indian eifleeuses: but the French material is insufficient for 
precise determination.* 
aan Indo-China Te. to be a centre for species of 
from this region gpibeebe to S. Nus-vomica and with very 
Similar seeds (see Dop l.c. p. 20). S. usitata, Dop, again, has 
* Pierre 3693 placed by Dop under his variety oligosperma has elliptic 
leaves and is apparently a seers plant. It is certainly not S. Nua-romica 
but may be related to 8. Pierri 
In Pierre's specimen No. 3689, “the fruit is 4 cm. in diameter and contains 
two seeds. Owing to the few seeds he was doubtful if the plant were aimed 
Ind.-Chin. iy. p. 168) gives 15 as the maximum number of seeds in a fruit 
of 4 cm. in diameter! This error is no doubt due to his inclusion of 
grandiflora. 
8. Nuz-blanda as his var. 
E2 
