454 



RUBIACE^E. 



principle, which exists in great abundance in the bark ; those of 

 Cinchona are known to depend upon the presence of two alkalies, 

 called cinchonine and quinine, both of which are combined with 

 kinic acid ; two principles which, though very analogous, are 

 distinctly different, standing in the same relation to each other 

 as potass and soda. Turner, p. 648. Dr. Sertiirner has ob- 

 tained some other vegato-alkalies from Cinchona, one of which 

 he calls chinioidia. Brande, journ. 1 2. p. 4 1 7. new series. The 

 existence of this is denied by M. M. Neury and Delondre, 

 ibid, July, 1830, p. 442. A detailed account of the qualities, 

 synonymes, and commercial names of the species of Cinchona 

 is given in Mr. Lambert's work on the genus Cinchona, 4to. 

 London, 1821. In the same work is the translation of Baron 

 Humboldt's account of the Cinchona forests of South America. 

 Three species of Cinchona, the C.ferrugmea, C. Velldsii, and 

 C. Remijitina, are found in Brazil, where they are used for the 

 same purposes as the Peruvian bark, to which, however, they 

 are altogether inferior. St. Hil. pi. usuel. bras. no. 2. The 

 French Guiana bark possesses properties analogous to those of 

 Cinchona, and is obtained from Portlandia hexdndra the Coutarea 

 specibsa, Aublet. Humb. cinch, forest, p. 43. The Quinquina 

 Pitou and Quinquina des Antilles are produced by species of 

 the genus Exostemma, and are remarkable for possessing proper- 

 ties similar to those of the true Quinquina, but without any trace 

 of either cinchonine or quinine. St. Hil. pi. usuel. bras. no. 3. 

 A kind of fever-bark is obtained at Sierra Leone from Rondeletia 

 febrifuga. Besides, there are a great number of other species 

 possess barks more or less valuable. Pinckneya pubens is 

 the fever-bark of Carolina ; Condaminea corymbbsa, Isertia 

 coccinea, Antirhofa, and Morinda Rbyoc, are all of the same 

 description. A lightish brown, bitter, and powerfully astrin- 

 gent extract, called Gambier, is obtained at Malacca by boiling 

 the leaves of Nauclea Gdmbir ; it is sometimes substituted for 

 gum-kino, Ainslie, 2. p. 106. A decoction of the leaves, as 

 well as the root, of Cdnthium parviflorum, is prescribed in India 

 in certain kinds of flux, and the last is supposed to have anthel- 

 mintic properties, though neither has much sensible taste or 

 smell. The bark and young shoots are also used in dysentery. 

 Ainslie, 2. p. 63. Among the emetics, Ipecacuanha holds the 

 first rank ; it is the root of Cephaflis Ipecacuanha, a little creep- 

 ing-rooted half-herbaceous plant, found in damp shady forests of 

 Brazil. Similar properties are found in the roots of other JRu- 

 biaceous plants of the same country, as in Richardsbnia rbsea 

 and R. scabra, Borreria ferruginea and B. Poaya, &c. A 

 peculiar alkaline principle, called evnetia, is found in Ipeca- 

 cuanha, which contains 16 per cent, of it. Turner, p. 653. The 

 Raiz Preta, which is celebrated for its power in curing dropsy, 

 and in destroying the dangerous consequences of bites of ser- 

 pents, is said to be related to Ipecacuanha. Edinb. phil. journ. 

 1. p. 218. Several species of Psychotria, as P. emelica, &c. and 

 Geophila reniformis, are substitutes for Ipecacuanha. The spurious 

 barks called Quinquina Pitou, are capable of exciting vomiting. 

 The powdered fruit of Randia dumetbrum, is a powerful emetic. 

 An infusion of the bark of the root is administered to nauseate 

 in bowel complaints. Ainslie, 2. p. 186. According to Roxburg, 



the root bruised and thrown into ponds where there are fish, in- 

 toxicates them, as Cocculus 1'ndicus. Ainslie, 2. p. 186. Psy- 

 cholria Noxa and Palicourea Marcgravii, both called Erva do 

 'rata, are accounted poisonous in Brazil ; but nothing very cer- 

 tain seems to be known of their properties. Edinb. phil. journ. 

 14. p. 267. The root of Morinda umbellata in the Moluccas, 

 and that of M. citrifblia in India, is used for dyeing red and 

 brown ; and the bark of M. Rbyoc for ink. The leaves of 

 Oldenlandia umbellata are considered by the native doctors of 

 India as expectorant ; and the root is employed in India for 

 staining nankeens. Ainslie, 2. p. 101. Coffee is the roasted seeds 

 of a plant of this order, Coffea Ardbica, and is supposed to owe 

 its characters to a peculiar chemical principle called coffein. 

 Turner, p. 699. The part roasted is the albumen, which is of a 

 hard horny consistence ; and it is probable that the seeds of most 

 of the plants of the present order, whose albumen is of the same 

 texture, would serve as a substitute. This would not be the 

 case with those with fleshy albumen. The fruit of some Gar- 

 denias Genipa and of Vanqueria, the Voa Vanga of Madagascar, 

 and Sarcocephalus esculentus, are succulent and eatable. The root 

 of Rubia tinctbria, the madder, is one of the most important 

 dyes with which we are acquainted ; a quality in which the roots 

 of many other plants belonging to the tribe Stellatce participate 

 in a greater or less degree. The roots of Rubia Munjisla yield 

 the madder of Bengal. Ainslie, 1 . p. 203. The torrefied grains 

 of Galium are said to be a good substitute for coffee. The 

 flowers of Galium verum are used to curdle milk. An infusion 

 of Asperula cyndnchica has a little astringency, and has been 

 used as a gargle. Asperula odorata, or Woodruff, is remarkable 

 for its fragrance when dried ; it passes for a diuretic. Rubia 

 Noxa is said to be poisonous. 



Opposite leaves, with intervening stipulas, a monopetalous 

 corolla., with a definite number of stamens, are the great charac- 

 teristics of Rubiacece ; an order of such extent, that it embraces 

 a very large proportion of the whole phenogamous plants, in- 

 cluding within its limits humble weeds and lofty trees. Among 

 them the plants of beauty or value are innumerable ; of the for- 

 mer description the genera Ixbra, Bouvardia, Catesbee'a, Port- 

 Mndia,Cardenia, Hamelia,Cephce'Hs, Augustea, and many others, 

 are notable examples. 



Synopsis of the genera. 

 A. Cells of fruit many-seeded, 



TRIBE I. 



CINCHONA* CE.K. Fruit capsular, 2- celled ; cells many seeded. 

 Seeds winged. Trees or shrubs. Stipulas interpetiolar. 



SUBTRIBE I. NAUCLE'E*. Flowers capitate, sessile, upon a 

 globose receptacle (f. 83. e. f. 84. &.). 



1 NAU'CLEA. Tube of calyx oblong ; limb truncate or 5- 

 toothed (f. 83. &.), with linear lobes. Corolla funnel-shaped (f. 

 83. c.), with a slender tube and naked throat. Stigma tumid, 

 undivided (f. 83, d.~). Capsules sessile, not attenuated at the base. 



2 UNCA'RIA. All as in Nauclea, but differs in the flowers 

 being scattered on the receptacle. Calyx urceolately 5-cleft. 

 Capsules pedicellate, clavate, attenuated at the base. 



