LEGUMINOSAE 



533 



tisin. C^H^O,,, occurs in Baptisia; and tephrosin, a poisonous substance in 



jL\) o 14 



Tephrosia toxicaria. A very toxic unnamed glucoside, C 33 H 3Q O 10 , occurs in 

 the bark and root of Derris elliptica, Mundulea suberosa, and Lonchocarpus 

 violaceus. Power, however, failed to find this glucoside in Derris uliginosa. 

 Turboin, C 34 H 30 O 10 , occurs in Tephrosia toxicaria. Gallotannic acid, C 14 H lQ O g 

 + H,O so called, occurs in the pod of Caesalpinia coriaria. The bark of cer- 

 tain species of Acacia contains 30 per cent of tannic acid. The wood of A. 

 Catechu is colored red by catechin, a crystallizable substance. 



Lindley in the earlier edition of his Vegetable Kingdom, states, that the 

 plants of this family are on the whole wholesome and nutritious, and later de- 

 clares that the family must be considered poisonous. The species used as food 

 must be considered an exception. 



In Australia there are several members of this family that are poisonous. 

 Dr. Gray in an American Agriculturist of Oct., 1878, says: 



What a pity that our cattle are not better acquainted with the corrected rule. In 

 Europe and in the Atlantic States, no harm is known to come to cattle from want of 

 proper discrimination. But when European flocks were taken to Australia and to pastures 

 and forage almost wholly new, thousands of sheep perished in the Swan River Valley 

 Colony in consequence of cropping the leaves of some leguminous plants to which they 

 were attracted. What made the matter worse for the botanists, was that the very plants 

 which did the mischief had been recommended by one of them (Mr. Preiss, a German) as 

 the best thing the Agricultural Society could cultivate, as artificial food for stock. But 

 another botanist, Drummond, a canny Scotchman, made some experiments, that proved 

 that the people were right in charging the damage to these very species (of Gastrolobium) 

 which the German botanist, on general principles, expected to be innocent and useful. 



The Australian Gastrolobiums are all more or less poisonous, Baron Miiller 

 having long ago reported Gastrolobium grandiflontm as poisonous. The G. 

 calycinum known as the York road poison has a toxic base cygnin, cygnic acid 

 C H O which decomposes and forms gastrolobic acid C.H^O.H^O. The 

 following species are recorded as poisonous by Maiden in Australia : G. trilo- 

 bum, G. polystachyum, G. grandiflorum, poisonous to sheep and goats, the seeds 

 being especially toxic but not to pigeons. The diseased animals have difficulty 

 in breathing, then they stagger and die, death occurring in from 3-6 hours. The 

 poison enters the circulation, stops the action of the lungs and heart. The raw 

 flesh is said to poison cats, and the blood, dogs. The boiled or roasted flesh is, 

 however, eaten by the natives and is not injurious. The blossoms are very 

 poisonous. The Mirbelia racemosa is also poisonous to sheep, cattle, and goats. 

 Two species of Goodia, according to Maiden, are poisonous, the G. lotifolia and 

 G. medicaginea. These plants produce what locally goes by the name ''black 

 scours." The animals become weak, emaciated, and die. The Gastrolobium and 

 Crotalaria are stock killers in Australia though used as forage in South Aus- 

 tralia. Maiden reports that the bean tree (Castanospermum australe) is poi- 

 sonous to stock, especially the beans ; when cooked, however, they are eaten by 

 the Abyssinians. The box poison (Oxylobium parviflorum) is said to be a very 

 poisonous plant to stock. The Gompholobium uncinatum is very injurious to 

 sheep in New South Wales. The Swainsona Greyana and S. cor onillae folia are 

 poisonous. Sheep that eat them are called indigo-eaters. Both species act much 

 like the loco weeds of the United States, "sheep go wrong in the head ;" horses 

 also act strangely. "The eyes stand out of their heads." This disease is identical 

 with the "Nenta" disease of South Africa and the "Pea eating" disease of 

 Australia. The South African disease is produced by Lessertia. The symptoms 



