DRUGS. 



N. O. 20. VIOLACE.E. VIOLET-WORTS. 

 Viola odorata. W. March Violet. 



Linn. Si/st. Pentandria Monopynia. 



The dry flower. 



Vernacular. Behussej y Arab. Banafsha, Pers. and By. 



Habitat. The north temperate zone. 



Remarks. Probably the \fVKoiov TO p-'Aav of Hippocrates and toy rropfpv- 

 povv of Dioscorides. Homer mentions " sweet violets " among the flowers 

 of the island of Calypso. 



N. O. 25. TAMARICACE^E. TAMARISKS. 



Tamarix Furas. 



Tamariss indica. Rox. v. gallica. Linn. Indian Tamarisk. 



Tamarix dioica. Rox. 



Linn. Syst. Pentandria Trijrynia. 



The galls. 



Vernacular. The trees, T. indica, Jhaoo, Hind. Pakke, Tel. 

 Toorfa, Arab. Gue, Pers. T. Furas, Asul, Arab, and Hind. 

 The galls, T. indica, Burreemue, Hind. Sumrut-ul-toorfa, Arab. 

 T. Furas, Chotee-mue, Hind. Sumrut-ul-asul, Arab. 



Habitat. The Mediterranean countries, Arabia, Sindh, Rohilcund. 



Remarks. Sugar (Guzunjabin, Pers.) is produced on T. indica (the 

 fjivpLKTj of Homer and Hippocrates) by the puncture of the Coccus mani- 

 parus. This is often called Arabian manna, to distinguish it from Toorunja- 

 bin, Persian manna, Shir/cist, Khorassan manna, and Sicilian manna. Shir- 

 kist is often generically applied to all these species of manna. Guzunjabin 

 has been considered the manna of the Israelites ; but any reference of the 

 article with which they were miraculously supplied in the desert of Sin 

 to a botanical source must be unsatisfactory in the present state of science. 

 The word manna from manhu, signifying " What is it I ?" showing the 

 surprise and ignorance of the Jews regarding the substance, is all but 

 conclusive against its having been Guzunjabin, when we consider how 

 long in their bondage they had been settled on the high-road of the 

 to-and-fro trade between Egypt, the copper-mines of Sinai, and the East 

 generally. Guzunjabin moreover does not in the least answer the Mosaic 

 description of manna, which " was like coriander seed white." It is 

 true that some would translate the expression "Manhu!" "This is 

 manna !" But from the context it is clear that when science is suffi- 

 ciently advanced to rationalize profitably on this miracle, it will be the 

 meteorologist and not the botanist who must account for it. The Jews are 

 so jealous of this miracle that they have a curse against any who shall 

 attempt to explain it. Pliny mentions the galls of the Indian Tamarisk. 

 9 B 



