POISONS ACTING ON THE HEART 17 



LOBELIA INFLATA {North America, and cultivated in 



Britain). 28. 



INDIAN TOBACCO — ASTHMA WEED — EMETIC WEED. 



Lobeliacece. — Stem erect; glaucous; 1-2 ft. — Leaves alter- 

 nate; sessile; lower ones stalked. — Flowers stalked in upright 

 racemes, and branched below. — Fruit inflated ; nearly globular; 

 crowned by remains of corolla. — Seeds minute; numerous; 

 orange; with raised network. — annual or biennial; pink. 



Toxic Principle. — LOBELINE, also contained in L. urens. 



Had old Hippocrates, or Galen 



That to their books put medicines all in, 



But knoivn this secret . . . 



No Indian drug had e'er been famed. 



Johnson: " Volpone.'" 



CYTISUS SCOPARIUS {British). 29. 



BROOM. 



Leguminosce. — A shrub with angular branches, and small, 

 ternate leaves. — Woods and heaths. — Very common. — 

 3-10 ft. — May and June. — bright yellow. 



Toxic Principle.— SPARTEINE, 



Fateful story of the old doom : 

 Yellow bane, desire and bliss ; 

 Mystic glory of the gold broom. 

 Every flower an unborn kiss. 



Marion Cran: " Song of a Woman.'''* 



PHYSOSTIGMA VENENOSUM {West Africa). 30. 



CALABAR BEAN — CHOP NUT. 



Leguminosce. — Climber. — Stem woody; cylindrical; 50 ft. — 

 Leaves alternate; pinnately trifoliate. — Flowers in long, 

 zigzag racemes; rachis set with solid tubercles. — Pod com- 

 pressed; pointed; 4-7 ins.; lined inside with white wool. — 

 Seeds 3; IJ ins. by f in. ; testa smooth; chocolate; hilum long; 



2 



