& 
020 ACERACE. 
which is afterwards made into oblong or rounded cakes. These cakes are 
used in the same manner as we use cocoa and chocolate—that is, they are 
mixed with water, and the mixture sweetened and drunk. This beverage 
is largely consumed in Brazil, both on account of its nutritive qualities, 
and for its stomachic, febrifugal, and reputed aphrodisiac effects. It contains 
a bitter crystalline principle “called Guaranine, which appears to be identical 
with theine (see Thea, p. 472), the active principle of tea and coffee, and hence 
Guarana has asomewhat similar effect upon the system to that produced by 
these two beverages. Guarana has been lately highly recommended for 
use in this country and elsewhere as a remedy in nervous headache. Its 
action is probably similar to tea, over which it seems to possess no advantages. 
Jt has also been recommended as a remedy in neuralgia, diarrhea, and other 
diseases. In many species of Paullinia, the narcotic property, which is but 
slightly marked in P. sorbilis, is very evident. Thus, the leaves, bark, and 
fruit of P. pinnata are very dangerous, and are used in the preparation of a 
poison by the Brazilians, ‘which slowly but surely destroys life. Martius 
suggests that this poison might be efficacious in hydrophobia and insanity. 
P. cururu and P. australis have similar poisonous properties. 
Sapindus.—The fruits of Sapindus Saponaria, as well as those of 8. 
inequalis and others, contain a saponaceous principle, so that when mixed 
with water they produce an abundant lather; hence they are used in the 
West Indies instead of soap. It is said that ‘a few of them will cleanse 
more linen than sixty times their weight of soap.’ These plants also con- 
tain a narcotico-acrid principle, as the pounded fruits, when thrown into 
water in which fish are contained, will produce upon them a kind of intoxi- 
cation. The pericarp of S. senegalensis is eaten, but the seeds act as a 
narcotico-acrid poison. The fruits of Sapindus esculentus and others are also 
edible. 
Schmidelia serrata has an astringent root, which has been used in India 
for diarrhea. 
The fruits of many plants belonging to this order, besides those already 
named, are edible, as those of Pierardia sativa and P. dulcis, producing the 
Rambeh and Choopa of Malacca ; and Hedycarpus malayanus producing the 
Tampui. Schmidelia edulis,in Brazil ; Melicocca bijuga, in the West Indies 
and Brazil; Pappea capensis, at the Cape of Good Hope, &c., also yield 
edible fruits. 
Order 2, ACERACE, the Maple Order.—-C haracter.—Tvrees. 
Leaves opposite, simple, without stipules ; venation usually ra- 
diate, rarely pinnate. lowers often polygamous, racemose or 
corymbose, regular. Calyx with an imbricate zestivation, usually 
5-partite, occasionally 4- or 9-partite. Petals imbricate, with- 
out appendages at their base, corresponding in number to the 
divisions of the calyx, or altogether absent. Stamens usually 8, 
inserted ona fleshy hypogynous disk, or rarely the disk is absent. 
Ovary superior, 2-lobed, 2-celled ; stigmas 2; ovules in pairs. 
Frwit a samara, 2-celled (fig. 706). Seeds 1 or 2 in each cell, 
ascending, without an aril, exalbuminous ; embryo curved, with 
leafy wrinkled cotyledons, and an inferior radicle. This order is 
placed by Bentham and Hooker in Sapindacee, tribe Acerinex. 
Diagnosis.—Trees with opposite simple exstipulate leaves. 
Flowers often polygamous, and usually regular. Sepals and 
petals imbricate, the latter without any appendages on their in- 
side. Stamens hypogynous, usually on a fleshy disk ; anthers 
bursting longitudinally; ovary superior, 2-celled. Fruit a 
