CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 355 



seed of Sophia chintrgomm, or Flixweed [Sisymbrium 

 Sophia, Linn.], which being taken in wine or broth 

 entire, without reducing to powder, stops vomiting of 

 blood, and cures the dysentery or bloody flux, from 

 whence the plant hath its name in English, which doth 

 not succeed if it be well pounded or beaten to powder ; 

 the reason whereof he assigns to be, because the oily 

 substance, which is more apt to dissolve than to coagulate, 

 is loosened by pounding, and separated from the other 

 parts. 



A third observation we shall mention is, that in many 

 plants the flower receives its tincture or colour from the 

 root, fle instances in the greater Celondine \Chelido- 

 nium majus, Linn.], whose roots and flowers are of a yellow 

 or saffron colour. The Barbery [Berberis vulgaris, Linn.], 

 or Oxantha, which also hath both roots and flower of a 

 yellow. The Dentellaria of Rondeletius [Plumbago euro- 

 pcea, Linn.], whose roots and flowers agree in the same 

 vinous or grisdelin colour. The Acacia indica Aldini, 

 &c. The reason whereof he assigns, because the more 

 fixed parts, wherein the colour consists, preserve the same 

 tincture without being altered by a long circulation they 

 make to the flower. Hence he observes that those plants 

 are more fit for dying cloth which are lignose, and have 

 their root agreeable in colour with the flower. 



4. He gives us out of Ccesalpinm the preparation of 

 cate (which he takes to be the same with catechu}, which 

 is the inspissate juice of the Lycium indicum [Barleria 

 hystrix, Linn. ?], or tree called cadira by the Indians, 

 which they thus prepare : they divide the heart (medulla) 

 of the tree into thin slices, which they grind upon a 

 marble such as painters use, and boil the powder in a 

 sufficient quantity of water for twenty-four hours, and 

 then strain it. This decoction they boil again beyond 

 the consistency of honey, but not so hard as wax, of 

 which they make pastilli, which, being dried, are out- 

 wardly black, but inwardly reddish. This opinion he 

 rather adheres to than that of a late learned traveller in 



