406 ROSACES. 



dalus, Prunus, Spiraea, Quillaia, Sanguisorba, Potentilla, Rubus, 

 Fragaria, Rosa, Pyrus. 



855. Many of the plants of the order yield edible fruits, such as 

 Raspberries, Strawberries, Brambles, Plums, Apples, Pears, Quinces, 

 Cherries, Almonds, Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots. Some are 

 astringent, others yield hydrocyanic acid. Those belonging to the 

 suborder Chrysobalanece, are principally natives of the tropical parts 

 of Africa and America. Many of them furnish edible fruits. The 

 drupes of Chrysobalanus Icaco, are eaten in the West Indies under 

 the name of Cocoa-plums. The root and bark are used as astringents. 



The plants hi the suborder Amygdalece, are chiefly remarkable on 

 account of the presence of hydrocyanic acid in their kernels, leaves, or 

 flowers. Amygdalus communis, the Almond-tree, grows naturally in 

 Barbary and in Asia, from Syria to Aflghanistan. It is extensively 

 cultivated in the south of Europe. There are two varieties of the 

 tree, .. dulcis, yielding the sweet Almond, and /3. amara, yielding 

 the bitter Almond. In the former, the style is much longer than the 

 stamens, and there are glands on the base of the leaf; while in the 

 latter, the style is equal in length to the stamens, and the glands are 

 situated on the petioles. The chief kinds of sweet Almonds are the 

 Valentia, the Italian, and the Jordan Almonds; the latter come from 

 Malaga. Under the name of Shell Almonds, they are often sold with 

 the brittle endocarps on them. They consist chemically of a bland 

 fixed oil, and a kind of vegetable albumen called Emulsin or Synap- 

 tase. Bitter Almonds are imported from Mogadore. Besides a fixed 

 oil and synaptase, they contain a bitter azotised principle called Amyg- 

 dalin, which, when brought into contact with a solution of Emulsin, 

 produces a volatile oil, containing hydrocyanic acid. This gives rise 

 to the peculiar aroma of bitter Almonds, when mixed with water. 

 Sweet Almonds are used medicinally, in the form of emulsion, as 

 demulcents. The hydrocyanated essential oil of bitter Almonds is 

 sedative, and has been used as a substitute for Prussic acid. They 

 sometimes produce derangement of the digestive functions, and give 

 rise to nettle-rash. The leaves of Amygdalus persica (Persica vulgaris 

 of some), the Peach, contain a similar oil, and have been employed as 

 sedative and vermifuge. The flowers of the Peach exhale the odour 

 of bitter Almonds. Peaches are divided into Freestone and Cling- 

 stone, according as the pulp (sarcocarp) separates easily from the 

 endocarp or adheres to it. The fruit of Prunus domestica, the Plum- 

 tree and its varieties, when dried, constitute Prunes, which are used 

 medicinally, on account of their nutritive and laxative qualities. The 

 leaves of Prunus or Cerasus Laurocerasus, Cherry Laurel, or common 

 Bay Laurel, have been used medicinally, as anodyne and hypnotic 

 remedies. The water distilled from them has poisonous properties, 

 owing to the presence of a hydrocyanated oil, which seems to be 



