310 . VENEZUELAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
are leputeil to Le auUielmintic, The milky sap of the unripe fruit has, 
as is well known, the effect of rendering tough meat tender. Some- 
times fruits appear in the stamen-bearing specimens, called '' Lechoza 
macho ;" and this is considered by our people little less than a miracle. 
I found several times stamen-bearing flowers with a inidimentary pistil, 
so that fructification was rather doubtful. This may account for the 
rarity of fruits under these circumstances. (See also Darwin, 'Origin 
of Species/ Amer. edit. p. 392.) Carica canlljlora, Jacq., Griseb, 
West Ind. "Flor. p. 290, grows in the higher mountains; its small, 
yellowish-red fruits are called " Tapa-culo," on account of the seeds 
stopping mechanically the rectum. 
In the neighbourhood of Merida, Bocconia frutescens^ L., bears the 
name Lechozo (teste Herb. Moritz.) 
Lecluiga {Laciiica sativa, L.). It is more used for salad than medi- 
cinally. Lettuce-tea is taken as an anodyne in pectoral diseases, and 
the juice of the leaves, rubbed on the forehead and temples, is recoia- 
raeuded in insomnolency. 
Llantea {Plantago major, L.), The vernacular name, pronounced 
"L-yanten," is derived from the Latin "Plantago, como llano de 
planiiB^'' etc. This cosmopolitan plant is not very common about 
Caracas, and is considered to be astringent. The fresh leaves are put 
on tumours or wounds, 
Lhnon agrio {Citrus vulgaris^ Eisso). Lemon-juice is used in many 
cases. It is said to cure a cutaneous disease called " culebrilla," which 
appears as a kind of eruption, with small, reddish pustules, haviu 
nearly the figure of a snake; hence the name ('^^ Culebrilla," little 
snake). People believe it to be fatal when it goes round the whole 
body, or any part of it. 
Lomlricera ; yerba de lombrices {Spigelia Authelmia^ L.). Both names 
indicate the anthelmintic properties of the plant. 
Majagtia {Paritium iiliaceum, x\dr, Juss. ; Hibiscus tiliaceus^ L.). 
A decoction of the baik is mucilaginous, and taken in asthma and bron- 
chitis. It is said to promote growth of the hair, by washing the head 
with it. The tree is not very common in the neighbourhood of Caracas. 
Malva {Malachra capitata^ L.). This plant is cultivated in the 
gardens, and highly useful. Wounds and ulcers washed with an in- 
fusion of the leaves get speedily cured. An infusion of the flowers 
makes a refr^^hing beverage iu fevers, dysenteries, etc. 
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