268 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



inodorous, its taste slimy, of moderate temper or slightly inclined to coldness 

 and humidity. It is a wonderful diuretic, expels phlegm, and removes all 

 urinary obstructions." 



The name " cocoztamatl " ("yellow tomato," of no application to the plant) 

 is doubtless incorrect, and should be rather " cocotemecatl " ("pungent-vine"), 

 as is indicated by Hernandez's second account^ of the plant, which also is ac- 

 companied by a figure. The description of the fruit, of course, is erroneous. The 

 second account is headed " De Cocotemecatl, seu fune volubili acri," and is as 

 follows : 



" Cocotemecatl, which some call Cocotemecaxihuitl, is an herb with leaves like 

 those of basil [Ocimum], but much larger, angled, and creuate. The stem is 

 purplish and climbing ; the flowers are small, borne on the ends of hairy branch- 

 lets, and they change into purplish white pappus ; the roots are fibrous. It grows 

 at Yacapichtlan and Quauhquechollan, in hot and rocky places. The leaves, 

 which are glutinous, if crushed and taken in the quantity of a handful, cure 

 dysentery. The root and stems ai'e hot and dry in the fourth degree ; they are 

 a remedy for ringworm and, if taken in a dose of two drachms, calm pains in 

 the stomach and colic; they are diuretic, aid parturition, cure those affections 

 which arise from cold, and allay pains caused by wind." 



7. Clematis grossa Benth. PI. Hartw. 33. 1840. 



Clematis rliodocarpa Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 10: 95. 1906. 



Tamaulipas to Tepic and Chiapas ; type from San Bartolo. Central America. 



Closely related to C. dioica, but apparently distinct, but perhaps not essen- 

 tially different from C. sericca H. B. K., to which specimens have been referred ; 

 leaflets usually with numerous large coarse teeth. "Chilillo" (Mexico, Vera- 

 cruz) ; " barba de vejo " (Oaxaca, Guatemala); " barba de chivo " (Oaxaca, 

 Veracruz). 



Roots said to be used as a remedy for distemper in horses. 



8. Clematis ligusticif olia Nutt. ; Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1 : 9. 1838. 

 Northern Chihuahua and Sonora. Western United States ; type from the 



Rocky Mountains. 



Leaflets usually 5 or 7 ; achenes densely sericeous. 



C. ncomexicana Woot. & Standi.,^ described from the San Luis Mountains, on 

 the border between Sonora and New Mexico, is probably not essentially different. 



39. BERBERIDACEAE. Barberry Family. 

 1. ODOSTEMON Raf. Amer. Month. Mag. 192. 1817. 



Reference: Fedde, Bot. Jahrb. Engler 31: 30-133. 1901. 



Shrubs or small trees with yellow wood ; leaves alternate, estipulate, pin- 

 nate, the leaflets 3 to many, usually dentate, the teeth often spine-tipped ; 

 flowers yellow, perfect, racemose ; fruit a berry, with few seeds. 



The wood is used in Mexico to give a yellow dye. The roots of O. aquifolium 

 (Pursh) Rydb. (Berberis aquifolium Pursh), a species native of the western 

 United States, but closely related to some of the Mexican ones, are official 

 in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. They are bitter and contain the alkaloids ber- 

 berine, oxyacanthine, and berbamine. Both the fruit and roots have been 

 reconunended as possessing alterative, laxative, tonic, and diuretic properties. 

 They are employed in syphilitic and scrofulous affections, chronic cutaneous 

 diseases, convalescence from fevers, etc. This plant is known in the United 

 States as Oregon grape; it is the state flower of Oregon. 



' Thesaurus 141. 1651. 



* Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 16: 122. 1913. 



