224 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



nally to cure la melena, the dose, one " tola " mixed with the 

 same amount of manga resin and a little lime water. The 

 same resin if heated makes an excellent cement for broken 

 china. 



Botanical Description. — A tree, 20° or more in height, 

 with abundant milky sap. Leaves alternate, oval, acute at 

 both ends, slightly wavy and revolute borders, tough, glabrous 

 and dark green upper surface ; light green, slightly rough under 

 surface. Petioles short. Flowers greenish, monoecious, grow- 

 ing on root, trunk and branches. Calyx very small, monophyl- 

 lous, of about 7 deciduous lobules. Staminate : On a club- 

 shaped receptacle, 3 r or 4 r long, bristling with the stamens ; 

 filaments very short, anthers 2-celled. Pistillate : On a com- 

 mon, oblong receptacle which ripens to the great fruit ; style 

 1 , short ; rarely 2 divergent styles ; stigmas acute. Fruit 

 about size and shape of a small watermelon, beset with many 

 sharp eminences, containing many seeds enveloped in thick 

 arils. 



Habitat. — It grows in all parts of the Archipelago and is 

 commonly known. 



Laportea gaudichaudiana, Wedd. ( Urtica umbellata, 

 U.ferox, Blanco.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Ligaton, Lipa, Apariagua (?), Tag., Vis.; 

 Lipagdoton, Pam. 



Uses. — The Padre Mercado writes as follows concerning the 

 properties of this plant : " The leaves, applied with salt in the 

 form of a plaster, purify dog bites, foul, putrid, malignant and 

 cankerous ulcers ; they cure boils, contusions and all abscesses ; 

 mixed with wax they may be applied for obstruction of the 

 spleen ; mashed with the juice and inserted in the nose they ar- 

 rest nose-bleed ; cooked with snails they soften the stomach, ex- 

 cite the secretion of urine and dissipate flatus ; the juice given 

 as a gargle aborts inflammation of the epiglottis. The seeds 



