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042 ROSACEZ—-CHRYSOBALANEZ— DRUPACEA. 
perate regions of the northern hemisphere. The Rosex aud 
Sanguisorbex are also chiefly natives of cold and temperate 
climates, although a few are found within the tropics. The 
Pomex occur only in the cold and temperate regions of the 
northern hemisphere. The order Rosacez comprises about 
1,000 species, of which about one-half ara to the sub-order 
Rosex. 
Properties and Uses.—The plants of the ae are principally 
remarkable for their astringency, and for their succulent edible 
fruits. The seeds, flowers, leaves, and young shoots of many 
of the Drupacex and Pome, when moistened with water, yield 
hydrocyanic acid ; hence the parts of such plants are sometimes 
poisonous. All other Rosacew are entirely devoid of poisonous 
properties. 
Sub-order 1. CHRYSOBALANEZ.—Many plants of this sub-order produce 
edible drupaceous fruits. 
Chrysobalanus.—The fruit of C. ZIcaco is edible. It is known in the 
West Indies under the name of the Cocoa-plum. ‘The fruit of C. luteus is 
also eaten in Sierra Leone. The root, bark, and leaves of C. Icaco are 
employed in Brazil as a remedy in diarrhcea and similar diseases. 
Parinarium. , n in 
Sierra Leone under the name of the Rough-skinned or Gray Plum. The 
kernels of P. campestre and P. montanum are likewise reputed to resemble 
the Almond in flavour. 
Sub-order 2, DrupAcEa.—This sub-order is remarkable from the parts 
of many of its plants yielding, when moistened with water, hydrocyanic 
acid. Their barks also frequently possess astringent and febrifugal properties, 
and yield a kind of gum; while many, again, have edible fruits and seeds. 
Prunus.—P. domestica and its varieties produce the well-known fruits 
called Plums, Greengages, and Damsons. When dried, plums are termed 
Prunes or French Plums; the variety Juliana being official in the 
‘British Pharmacopceia.—P. spinosa is the common Sloe or Blackthorn, and 
P. insititia the Bullace.—P. armeniaca is the Apricot. The barks of P. 
spinosa and P. Cocomilia have febrifugal properties. The leaves of P. spinosa 
are sometimes used for adulterating the black varieties of China tea. A 
mixture consisting of the leaves of P. spinosa and those of Fragaria collina 
or F. vesca, in the. proportion of one third of the former to two-thirds of the 
latter, have been used as a substitute for China Tea.—Prunus Amygdalus 
' (Amygdalus communis) is the Almond-tree, of which two varieties are com- 
monly distinguished, from the varying nature of their seeds, under the names 
of P. ‘amygdalus, var. dulcis, and P. amygdalus, var. amara, both of which are 
official in the British Pharmacopeeia. There are however no definite botanical 
characters distinguishing the Sweet and Bitter Almond trees; they cannot 
therefore, in spite of the different qualities of their seeds, be properly separated 
even as varieties. The seeds of the former, on account of their taste, are known 
as Sweet Almonds; and those of the latter as Bitter Almonds. The Almond- 
tree isa native of Morocco, Syria, Persia, and Turkestan ; it is also extensively 
cultivated in the southern parts of Europe for the sake of its seeds. Sweet 
Almonds yield by expression a fixed oil commonly known as Oil of Almonds. 
They also contain sugar, and two albuminous substances called amandin, and 
synaptase or emulsin. The cake left after the expression of the oil, when dried 
and powdered, is known under the name of Almond-powder. Bitter Almonds 
vield a similar oil by expression. They also contain emulsin, and, in 
addition to the other ordinary constituents of Sweet Almonds, a crystalline 
substance called amygdalin. When bitter almonds are moistened with water, 
