568 SYSTEMATIC BOTAJJT. 



also cultivated in our stoves on account of the beauty and 

 fragrance of their flowers. 



Cephaelis Ipecacuanha.— Th.Q root of this plant is termed annulated ipeca- 

 cuanha. It is the officinal Ipecacuanha of this country. It contains an 

 alkaloid called emetia, to which its properties are principally due. Ipeca- 

 cuanha possesses emetic and purgative properties in large doses, and in smaU 

 doses it is expectorant and diaphoretic. It is also sedative. 



Cinchona. — The plants of this genus are natives exclusively of the intertro- 

 pical valleys of the Andes, and principally on the eastern face of the Cor- 

 dilleras, growing commonly at heights varying from about 4,000 to nearly 

 12,000 feet above the level of the sea. The Cinchona region extends from 

 Santa Cruz de la SieiTa, in Bolivia, about 19° S. lat. through Peru and 

 Columbia, nearly to Caraccas, in about 10° of N. lat. The Cinchonas are 

 small shrubs, or large forest trees, with evergreen leaves and commonly 

 showy flowers. They appear to require gi'eat moisture, and a mean tempera- 

 ture of about 62°. The barks of several species and varieties are extensively 

 imported into this country, under the names of Cinchona, Pei-uvian, or 

 Jesuits' Bark. Some few years since, in consequence of the great destruc- 

 tion of Cinchona trees in S. America, and from no care having been taken 

 in replacing them, it was feared that in a short time our supply of this most 

 valuable bark would have seriously fallen off ; but, thanks to the energetic 

 labours of Messrs. Markham, Spruce, Mc Ivor, Wilson, and others, the more 

 valuable species have been transported to India, Jamaica, Java, &c., and 

 are now cultivated in these countries (more especially in India), over large 

 areas, with gi-eat success, so that we need no longer fear any deficiency of 

 supply in future years. A large number of commercial varieties of Cinchona 

 barks have been described by Pereira, Weddell, Howard, and others, for a 

 description of which we ntust refer to works on Materia Medica. About 

 thirteen species of Cinchona are known to yield commercial barks, and of 

 these, four are officinal in the British Pharmacopoeia, which ai^ the only 

 ones we have space to refer to here : these are C. Calisaya, Weddell ; C. Con- 

 daminea, D. C. vars. Chahuarguera, Pavon, and crispa, Tafalla ; C. succirubra, 

 Pavon ; and C. lancifolia, Mutis. Of these species, the first three respec- 

 tively yield the officinal Yellow Cinchona Bark, Pale Cinchona Bark, and 

 Red Cinchona Bark ; and the latter the bark which is commonly known as 

 Coquetta bark, and which is placed in the British Pharmacopojia. as one of 

 the sources of sulphate of quinia. Several alkaloids have been described as 

 constituents of the different kinds of Cinchona barks in varying propor- 

 tions ; but by far the more important are Quinia, Cinchonia, Quinidia, and 

 Cinchonidia. The former is, however, alone officinal, and is doubtless the 

 most valuable of them all ; but they are all now more or less used in medi- 

 cine, and possess, in an eminent degree, antiperiodic, febrifuge, and tonic 

 properties. The barks themselves, in addition to such propeiiiies, are also 

 somew'hat astringent, and in some cases Cinchona bark has been found to 

 be efficacious as a topical astringent and antiseptic. 



Coffea arahica, the Coffee Plant. — The seeds of this plant, when roasted, 

 are used in the preparation of that most valuable beverage— rq^fe. Coffee 

 owes its properties chiefly to the presence of caffeine, which is identical with 

 theine (see Thea, p. 468), and to a volatile oil. About 40 millions of pounds 

 are annually consumed in this country, and the consumption for the whole 

 world has been estimated at about 600 millions of pounds. In Sumatra and 

 some of the adjoining islands, an infusion of the roasted leaf is used as a 

 substitute for Tea, under the name of Cofl'ee-Tea. The leaf contains similar 

 ingredients to the seeds, and possesses therefore analogous properties. 



Coprosma. — The fruits of C mici'ophylla and other species are eaten in 

 Australia, where they are called Native Cun-ants. In New Zealand the leaves 

 of G. faitidissima are used by the priests to discover the will of the gods. 



Gardenia.— Yvom. the fniits of G. grandiflora, G.florida, and G. radicans 

 beautiful yellow dyes are prepared, which ai-e extensively used in China and 

 Japan. G. lucida and G. gummifeva, natives of India, yield a resinous exu- 

 dation, which is said to be antispasmodic. 

 Genjjja.— The fruit of some species is eatable, that of G. americana, the 



