ALLIUM CEPA 233 



in all pharmacopoeias and its properties are known to the 

 Filipino herb-doctors. They use the fresh juice of the leaves 

 as a stimulant of the scalp in baldness and locally in contu- 

 sions. Aloes is a slow purgative and its irritating action on the 

 lower portion of the large intestine extends to the genito- 

 urinary organs. It is, therefore, an emmenagogue and its pro- 

 longed use causes hemorrhoids, especially in man. It is contra- 

 indicated where there is disease of the genito-urinary organs or 

 rectum. As it increases the secretion of bile it is useful in 

 certain hepatic diseases. "It is used in small doses as a tonic 

 in dyspepsia. The tonic dose is |— 20 centigrams ; purgative, 

 15-50 of the extract, preferably in pill form. It is customary 

 to associate it with other purgatives. 



Botanical Description. — A stemless plant, the leaves 

 springing immediately from the root as in the pineapple, joined 

 at the base, straight, ligulate, very fleshy and becoming thinner 

 toward the end, with stiff thorns along the edges. Flowers 

 between yellow and red outside and straw-colored inside, in 

 racemes on a cylindrical scape 3° or more high, sometimes 

 ramose, peduncles very short. Corolla cylindrical, somewhat 

 incurved, cleft to the middle in 6 parts, 3 external, acute and 

 superposed on the others, obtuse at the apex and of different 

 color. Stamens 6, inserted at the nectiferous base of the ovary 

 and of the same length as the corolla. Anthers erect. Ovary 

 cylindrical with 6 furrows. Stigma obtuse, with raveled edges. 

 The seed vessel ovoid, 3-valved, 3-celled, with 2 seeds in each, 

 furnished with 3 spongy wings. 



Habitat. — Common in gardens. 



Allium sativum, L. 

 Nom. Vulg. — Ajo, Sp.; Baivag, Tag.; Garlic, Eng. 



Allium Cepa, L. 



Nom. Vulg. — Cebolla, Sp.; Lasuna, Sibuyas, Tag.; Onion, 

 Eng. 

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