998 



Artemisia cina Berger. (Asteraceae . ) 42682, 42791. 

 Seeds from Russia. Presented by Dr. A. Fischer de 

 Waldheim, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens at Petro- 

 grad, and A. Rolloff, Director Botanic Garden at Tif- 

 lis, Caucasus. The plant is a low and straggly under- 

 shrub, with erect branches, abounding in the deserts 

 of Turkestan, where all the drug santonica is collect- 

 ed in July and August by native tribes. It belongs 

 to a perplexing group of species of this difficult 

 genus, variously regarded by different botanists as 

 distinct species or as varieties of the polymorphic 

 species, A. maritima L. The drug is composed of the dried 

 unexpanded flower heads, and forms a yellowish green 

 (at length greenish brown) somewhat glossy, mobile 

 mass, having a strong and peculiar, somewhat camphor- 

 aceous odor and an aromatic and bitter taste. The drug 

 santonin is obtained from these flowerheads, and is 

 used as an anthelmintic especially for round worms. 



Begonia sp. (Begonlaceae. ) 42820. Seeds from Rama, 

 Nicaragua. Presented by Mr. Carlos Berger. "A plant 

 which has some resemblance to Hydrastis canadensis . The 

 Indians use the rhizome as a violent emetic, in case 

 of snake bite, poisoning, etc., and it acts so strong 

 ly that it produces the vomiting of blood in certain 

 doses. The leaves are healing and are used in swel- 

 lings and skin eruptions. It is curious that the land 

 turtles are excessively fond of the leaves of this 

 plant and if there are any of such turtles around you 

 might be sure to find them near this plant." (Berger.) 



Britoa acida (Mart.) Berg. (?) (Myrtaceae . ) 42725. 

 Seeds from San Martin de Loba, Colombia. Presented by 

 Mr. H. M. Curran. "Large fruited guava-like fruit 

 which is soft, yellow, with few seeds, very acid and 

 juicy." (Curran.) 



Bitddleia nivea yunnanensis (Dop.) Rehder & Wilson. 

 (Loganiaceae. ) 42685. Plants from Paris, France. Pur- 

 chased from Messrs. Vilmorin-Andrieux & Company. Of 

 the same group as B. variabilis . Branches and lower sides 

 of the leaves whitish. It is remarkable for its very 

 beautiful, delicate mauve flowers, which have a very 

 pleasant perfume, and are arranged in a large length- 

 ened spike. Flowers from July to October. Height 1| 

 to 3 meters. Wilson says this variety is much more 

 widely distributed than the type and is readily dis- 

 tinguished by its usually solitary panicle and much 



