478 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



similar properties, but they are generally considered as altogether useless in 

 such cases. Senega Snake-root is officinal in this country, where it is used 

 either in large doses, as an emetic and cathartic, or in small doses as a sialo- 

 logue, expectorant, diaphoretic, diuretic, and emmenagogue. Its principal 

 virtues are due to the presence of a very acrid solid substance, which has 

 been called Senegin, Polygalin, and Polygalic Acid. P. sanguinea and 

 P. purpurea, in North America ; P. Serpentaria, at the Cape ; P. ChamcE' 

 buxus, in Europe ; P. crotalanoides and P. telephioides, in the Himalayas, and 

 other species, are said to possess somewhat similar properties, and one 

 species, P. venenosa, a native of Java, has the acrid principle in so concen- 

 trated a state as to render it poisonous. P. tiiidoria, an Arabian species, 

 is used for dyeing. 



Soulamea amara, a native of Molucca, is intensely bitter, and is said to be 

 a valuable febrifuge, aud also a medicine which has been employed with 

 very great success in cholera and pleurisy. 



Natural Order 42. Krameriace^. — The Rhatany Order. 

 — Diagnosis. — This natural order comprises but the single 

 genus Krameria. Lindley and some other botanists still retain 

 it in the order Polygalacese, to which it was formerly always 

 referred ; but Krameria appears certainly to present sufficient 

 claims to separation from that order. The Krameriacecs re- 

 semble the Poli/galacecB in their exstipulate leaves; in having 

 hypogynous unsymmetrical flowers ; in their few stamens with 

 porous dehiscence ; and in their definite pendulous ovules. They 

 are distinguished from the Folygalaceee in their flowers not pre- 

 senting a falsely papilionaceous arrangement ; in their stamens 

 being 1, 3, or 4, and distinct; in their ovary being 1-celled, 

 or incompletely 2-celled; and in their exalbuminous seeds. 

 By Braun and some other botanists the genus Kraojieria has 

 been referred to Leguminosae. 



Distribuiion, ^-c. — Found in the warm and temperate regions 

 of Central America and South America. The order contains 

 14 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The roots of the different species of 

 Krameria are intensely astringent ; they are commonly known 

 under the name of Rhatany-roots. The root of Krameria tri- 

 andra, a native of Peru and Bolivia, is officinal in the British 

 Pliarmacopceia. It is generally known as Peruvian or Payta 

 Rhatany. The supply of this root is uncertain, and hence its 

 place is frequently supplied by the root of another species, K. 

 I.rina, var. granatensis of Triana, a native of New Granada and 

 Brazil, which is termed Savanilla or New Granada Rhatany and 

 which is quite as efficacious as it. In France a kind of Rhatany 

 is sometimes used, which is procured from the Antilles ; this is 

 known as West Indian Rhatany. Rhatany-root is used in me- 

 dicine as an astringent, and is well adapted for all those diseases 

 which require the employment of such medicines. It is also 

 employed, mixed with equal parts of orris-rhizome and charcoal, 

 as a tooth-powder. A saturated tincture of Rhatany-root in 

 brandy is called wine colouring, and is used in Portugal to give 

 roughness to Port wines. 



Natural Order 43. Tbemandrace^. — The Pore wort Order. 



