22 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



A. muricata, L. 



Nom. Vulg. — Guandbano, Goyabano, Sp.-Fil. 



Uses. — The ripe fruit possesses antiscorbutic properties ; 

 the unripe fruit is used in treating dysentery. It is said that 

 the ripe fruit is used in diseases of the liver. 



Botanical Description. — Tree with leaves oval, alternate 

 and glabrous. Flower solitary, terminal, whitish. The fruit 

 is much larger than that of the other species, is covered with 

 scales that end in a soft point or thorn and has a very pro- 

 nounced acid taste. 



Habitat. — All three species are common in all parts of the 

 Archipelago. 



MENISPERMACE^. 



Moonseed Family. 



Tinospora crispa, Miers. (Menispermum erispum, L.; M. 

 rimosum, Blanco ; Coeculus crispus, DC.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Makabuhay, Tag. 



Uses. — Makabuhay is one of the most widely known and 

 used plants in the Philippines ; a sort of panacea applied to all 

 bodily afflictions. Its Tagalo name means literally " you may 

 live." A shoot deprived of roots and dropped in some moist 

 place is soon covered with bright green leaves and adventi- 

 tious roots. This peculiarity of the plant made it possible for 

 me to take a large number of sprouts from Manila to Paris 

 where they arrived perfectly fresh after a voyage of forty days, 

 during which they lay almost forgotten in the ship and the cars. 



The stem is the part employed in medicine. A decoction is 

 given internally in the various forms of malarial fever and of 

 dyspepsia. Externally it is most useful as a wash for ulcers 

 of all kinds, rapidly improving their appearance. 



In India the species T. cordifolia is used ; it differs but little 



