70 ODOKOGRAPHIA. 



or ra\'ines which follow the course of the small streams. In 

 general character, the plant bears a strong resemblance to the 

 common myrtle {Myrtus cominunis) ; it is much branched, the 

 leaves are evergreen, opposite, entire and smooth, oval-lanceolate 

 in shape, from one-half to two-thirds of an inch long, and about 

 half as broad, tapering towards either end, the largest leaves not 

 being more than one inch long and eight lines broad. The flowers 

 are white and resemble those of the common myrtle in appearance; 

 they are solitary in the axils of the upper leaves; when these fall 

 off, as they sometimes do, the flowers have the appearance of being 

 arranged in terminal racemes or cymes. 



It is believed that the plant was introduced into this country by 

 Messrs. Yeitch & Sons in 1862 ; a figure of the plant from a speci- 

 men which flowered at Kew, was published in the Botanical 

 Magazine in July, 1866 (tab. 5644). The flowers differ from those 

 of the common myrtle in having only four petals, which, as well 

 as the sepals, are more rounded and ciliate on the margin. The 

 leaves also are shorter and broader in proportion. 



Under the name of Chekan, Chequen or Cheken, the plant has 

 long been known and used medicinally in Chili in cases requiring 

 an aromatic astringent of considerable power, and a large quantity 

 of the leaves were imported into England a few years ago, with a 

 view to their trial by the medical profession here, the properties 

 being extracted in the form of infusion, fluid extract and 

 syrup, also in cases of bronchitis, by inhalation of the vapour. 



The leaves of Myrtus Cheken were submitted to a thorough 

 chemical investigation by Herr Weiss.* Upon distillation, the 

 leaves yielded about 1 per cent, of a thin, pale greenish-yellow^ 

 dextrogyre oil, having an aroma closely resembling that of common 

 myrtle oil. Its sp. gr. was found to be 0-8795 at 15^0. It was 

 miscible in all proportions in absolute alcohol, ether and chloro- 

 form. Upon fractionation, this oil was found to consist of : — 



About 75 per cent, of a terpene C\oII^g, apparently 

 identical with Pinene, and boiling at 156^-157° C. 



About 15 per cent, of an oxygenated constituent C\o H^g 0, 

 identical with Cineol, boiling at 176^0. 



About 10 per cent, of a mixture passing over between 220^ 

 and 280^C, which was not nearer examined. 



*Arcliiv. der Pharm., Aug., 1888, p. 665. 



