THEVETIA NERIFOLIA 159 



APOCYNACEJE. 



Dogbane Family. 

 Allamanda cathartica, L. 



Nom. Vulg. — Not known. 



Uses. — As this plant has no common name in the Philip- 

 pines it is most probable that the natives do not use it. The 

 Portuguese introduced it into India from Brazil. A decoction 

 of the leaves is purgative and is used in lead colic. The milky 

 juice of the plant is emetic and cathartic in large doses, but 

 simply laxative when given in doses of 8 or 10 drops. On ac- 

 count of its possible violent cathartic action great prudence 

 should be exercised in prescribing it. 



Botanical Description. — A twining shrub with leaves in 

 fours, bright green, oblong, covered with rough hairs. Flow- 

 ers in compound spikes, yellow. Calyx 5- toothed, Corolla 5- 

 lobed, funnel-form. Stamens 5, inserted in throat of corolla, 

 which above them is closed by a crown of hairs. Ovary 1- 

 celled with 2 many-ovuled placentae. Style cylindrical, termi- 

 nating in a bilobulate cone. Capsule globular, about the size 

 of a pea, black, coriaceous, thorny, bivalvate. Seeds numer- 

 ous, each encircled by a broad membranous wing. 



Habitat. — In Calauang and other parts of Luzon and 

 Panay. 



Thevetia nerifolia, Suss. (Cerbera Thevetia, L. and Blanco.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Campanelo, Sp.-Fil.; Exile or Yellow Olean- 

 der, Eng. 



Uses. — This shrub is very common in gardens, well known 

 by its pretty yellow, bell-shaped flowers. The trunk bark 

 possesses antiperiodic properties first described by Descourtilz 

 and confirmed later by Dr. G. Bidie and Dr. J. Short. Both 

 the latter used the tincture in 10-15-drop doses 3 times a 



