395 
must needs refer to R. Ideus itself. In his studies of the European 
Rubi, Professor Areschoug (in Botaniska Notiser, 1872, and in a trans- 
lation by himself in Trimen’s Journal of Botany, April, 1873,) makes 
prominent and important the fact that R. deus has no near relative, 
or, in other words, is the sole raspberry, in Europe, but in mode of 
growth, in the bark, &c., as well as in the fruit, accords with American 
species, with one of them so closely that all who have come to the con- 
clusion that species have a history must needs infer a community of 
origin. Areschoug concludes, accordingly, that “ this species did not 
originally have its home in Europe, but its origin is to be found in the 
east of Asia, viz. Japan and the adjacent countries, or perhaps in North 
America.” It is one of the members of that old boreal flora (as we sup- 
pose) now mainly East Asiatic and North American, which has found 
its way to, or held its place in, the north of Europe somewhat exception- 
ally. Both R. strigosus and &. Ideus inhabit Japan and Mandchu- 
ria, and Maximowicz regards them as forms of a common species. Pro- 
fessor Areschoug adopts the now familiar idea “that the Asiatic and 
North-American floras have reciprocally mixed with each other by pass- 
ing Behring’s Straits and the islands which in its neighborhood form a 
bridge between the two continents,” which is a partial explanation of a 
problem that has to be treated far more generally, now that we have rea- 
son to believe that this flora formerly filled the Arctic Zone. (Dr. A. 
Gray, in the American Journal of Science and Arts, June, 1875.) 
ANEMOPSIS CALIFORNICA—A NEW MEDICINAL PLANT.—Mr. J.J. War- 
ner, of Los Angeles, California, who it appears is an old resident of that 
country, has recently written to Professor Henry, Secretary of the Smith- 
sonian Institution, a letter respecting the medicinal qualities of a cer- 
tain California plant. The letter and the package of roots accompany- 
ing the same was referred by Professor Henry to the Agricultural De- 
partment as coming within the range of its operations. 
Mr. Warner states that he has been acquainted for some fifteen years 
with the medicinal properties of the plant of which he writes, and in his 
own person, and the persons of others, has known it to have remedial 
powers of unusual efficacy in the treatment of diarrheas and bowel com- 
plaints, and externally for bruises, for inflammations. and for old ulcers. 
The use of the plant has heretofore been restricted principally to the 
Indian population, and to domestic practice among the residents of 
California. 
Mr. Warner writes with apparent calmness and candor, and says that 
he has for several years entertained the desire that this remedy should 
be more generally known, and in pursuance of that desire has made the 
communication here related. His desire has been quickened of late by 
the reports of the prevalence of cholera in the Atlantic States, which 
disease he thinks might be prevented or mitigated by the use of this 
remedy if taken in season. Some dried specimens of the plant in a 
flowering state were sent, by which it is identified as the Anemopsis Ca- 
lifornica, a low herbaceous perennial of the natural order Saururacez. 
it seldom grows over a foot or a foot and a half high, with a thick, 
creeping root-stock, which is somewhat spongy in texture, of a brownish 
or reddish color, and of an aromatic, slightly astringent taste. 
Dr. Edward Palmer, who has traveled in California, Sonora, and Ari- 
zona, as botanical collector for several of the Government surveys in 
that region, reports that the plant is highly esteemed as a medicinal 
plant among the Indians in the above-mentioned countries, where it 
grows. The roots have been placed in the hands of Dr. Toner, President 
