BALSAMINACEAE IMPATIENS 



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Purshiana, a shrub or small tree native to the Pacific coast which contains 

 purshianin and is an excellent laxative. The Pa-Hunts australis contains oil of 

 wintergreen. The jujube (Zizyphus saliva) is used as food in South Europe 

 and Western Asia. The Chinese Z. Jujuba is extensively cultivated in India 

 and China. The fruit of Z. Lotus is made into a kind of bread, used by the 

 natives of West Africa, but the ripe fruit is said to be injurious. The root of 

 the New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) is used as an astringent and ex- 

 pectorant and is also said to have been used in place of tea during the Revolu- 

 tionary war. According to Greshoff the seeds of Ceanothus americanus, and 

 Ceanothus ovatus contain a small amount of saponin. It is therefore not strange 

 that some members of the family are poisonous. The genera Zisyphus, Tapura 

 and Gouania furnish fish poisons. Saponin occurs in Gouania tomentosa of 

 Mexico. Colubrina fermenta is used as a substitute for hops. The wood of 

 Colletia spinosa of South America contains a bitter principle. 



The brownish-black berries of coyotillo (Karwinskia Humboldtiana) of 

 Texas are said to be very poisonous and Dr. A. Mitchell of San Antonio writes 

 me that the plant is poisonous to goats. 



MALVALES 



Herbs, shrubs or trees ; leaves simple, generally alternate ; flowers regular, 

 usually perfect ; sepals separate or more or less united ; corolla polypetalous 

 or rarely wanting; stamens usually numerous; ovary superior compound; 

 placenta axial. The more important families of this order are Tiliaceae, Mal- 

 vaceae, Bombaceae and Sterculiaceae. The first family contains the basswood 

 (Tilia americana), a well known timber and ornamental tree of North America, 

 used for making boxes, lumber, excelsior, etc. T. cordata is also frequently 

 cultivated under the name of Linn tree. The inner bark of this produces an 

 elastic fiber. Several species of the genus Grewia are used as fish poisons. 

 Jute is derived from Corchonis capsularis of the East Indies and is a valuable 

 fiber. The broomweed (C. siliquosus) of the West Indies furnishes a substi- 

 tute for tea. The fruit of Apeiba is edible. Corkwood (Ochroma Lagopus) 

 of the family Bombaceae is used by the fishermen of Trinidad on their nets 

 in place of cork and is one of the lightest of all woods. The monkey-bread 

 tree (Adansonia digitata) produces valuable fiber in its bark. The silk cotton 

 or kapok tree (Eriodcndron anfractuosum) furnishes a soft fiber used in up- 

 holstery. The seed known as "kapok" seed is used in the Celebes as food and 

 in making oil cake, and according to Reinders and Kobus, is an adulterant of 

 linseed. The Durio zibethinus of the Malayan region produces a large edible 

 fruit. The family Sterculiaceae of tropical countries includes the cacao (Theo- 

 broma Cacao) which produces the well known cacao beans. Cacao is a nutrient 

 food and contains the alkaloid theobromin, C.H N,O , a caffein alkaloid. The 



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cola nut (Cola acuminata) of West Africa is a stimulant. The negroes of 

 Brazil used large quantities because of its stimulating properties. It is also 

 used for similar purposes by the negroes of the south ,and the "Cola habit" is 

 increasing among the negroes of that region. It is probable that the cola is 

 frequently adulterated with injurious ingredients. It is a muscle stimulant 

 used by the Alpine climbers of Europe. Fresh cola nuts do not contain caffein, 

 but a glucoside kolanin which is converted into kolarea C,,H 10 (OH)._. An 



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