CHLORANTHUS OFFICINALIS 207 



Habitat. — The dried fruit of the pepper is universally 

 familiar. It was at one time cultivated in the Philippines, 

 especially in Batangas, and Gen. Basco promulgated a series of 

 orders to encourage its cultivation. Padre Gainza, afterward 

 Bishop of Nueva Caceres, wrote a report about its cultivation, 

 but since then the subject has entirely disappeared from notice. 



CHLORANTHACE.ffi. 



Chloranth Family. 



Chloranthus officinalis, Bl. (C. Indicus, Wight.; C. incon- 

 spicuus, Blanco.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Unknown. 



Uses. — All parts of the plant are aromatic. The leaves 

 and stems lose this property after drying, but the roots, if 

 properly dried, preserve it for a long time. They have a cam- 

 phoraceous odor and bitter, aromatic taste, reminding one of 

 that of Aristolochia Serpentaria. The mountaineers of Java 

 use an infusion of the powdered root and the bark of the 

 Cinnamomum Culilowan to treat puerperal eclampsia. Com- 

 bined with carminatives like anise and onion, they use it with 

 some success in virulent small-pox of children. The infusion 

 seems to be efficacious in fevers accompanied by debility and 

 suppression of the function of the skin. It has also been pre- 

 scribed in the intermittent fevers of Java, mixed with an in- 

 fusion of the leaves of the Cedrela Toona. Blume states that 

 it is one of the most powerful stimulants known. 



Botanical Description. — A plant 3-4° high. Stem quad- 

 rangular. Leaves opposite, broad, lanceolate, serrate, with stiff- 

 pointed teeth and somewhat scaly beneath. Petioles very short, 

 clasping the stem at their base, with 2 intermediate stipules 

 ending in two awl-shaped points. Flowers compound in axil- 

 lary spikes, which bear the flowerets in 2 ranks, each flower 

 with a keeled bract. The corolla (if it may be so called) a 



