39 



shoes, hence often called bottle rubber. As it dries, the coatings of milky 

 jni<-H are repeated until the required thickness is obtained, and the clay 

 mold removed. It belongs to the extensive family Euphorbiacece. 



396. SMILAX MEDICA. This plant yields Mexican sarsaparilla, so called to distin- 



guish it from the many other kinds of this drug. The plant is a climber, 

 similar to the sniilax of our woods. 



397. SPONDIAS MOMBIN. This yields an eatable fruit called hog plum in the West 



In- lies. The taste is said to be peculiar, and not very agreeable tostrangers. 

 It is chiefly used to fatten swine. The fruit is laxative, the leaves as- 

 tringent, and the seeds possess poisonous qualities. The flower buds are 

 used as a sweetmeat with sugar. 



398. STRELITZIA REGINA. A plant of the Musa or banana family. The flowers are 



very beautiful for the genus. It is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. 

 The seeds are gathered and eaten by the Kaffirs. 



399. STRYCHNOS NUX VOMICA. This is a native of the Cpromandel coast and 



Cochin-China. It bears an orange -like fruit, containing seeds that have 

 an intensely bitter taste, owing to the presence of two most energetic poi- 

 sons, strychnine and brucine. The pulp surrounding the seeds is said to be 

 harmless, and greedily eaten by birds. The wood of the plant is hard and 

 bitter, and possesses similar properties to the seeds, but in a less degree. It 

 is used in India in intermittent fevers and in cases of snake bites. S. tiente 

 is a Java shrub, the juice of which is used in poisoning arrows. S. toxi- 

 fera yields a frightful poison called Ourari or Wourari, employed by the 

 natives of Guiana. This is considered to be the most potent sedative in 

 nature. Several species of Strychnos are considered infallible remedies for 

 snake bites; hence are known as snakewood. $. pseudo-quina, a native of 

 Brazil, yields Colpache bark, which is much used in that country in cases of 

 fever, and is considered equal to quinine in value. It does not contain 

 strychnine, and its fruits are edible. S. potatorum furnishes seeds known 

 in India as clearing-nuts, on account of their use in clearing muddy water. 

 St. Ignatius beans are supposed t j be yielded by a species of Strychnos, 

 from the quantity of strychnine contained in the seeds. 



400. SWIETENIA MAHAGONI. This South American plant furnishes the timber 



known in commerce as mahogany. The bark is considered a febrifuge, 

 and the seeds prepared with oil were used by the ancient Aztecs as a cos- 

 metic. The timber is well known, and much used in the manufacture of 

 furniture. 



401. TACCA PINNATIFIDA. This is sometimes called South Sea arrowroot. The 



tubers contain a great amount of starch, which is obtained by rasping 

 them and macerating four or five days in water, when the fecula separates 

 in the same manner as sago. It is largely used as an article of diet 

 throughout the tropics, and is a favorite ingredient for puddings and cakes. 



402. TAMARINDUS INDICA. The tamarind tree. There are two varieties of this 



species. The East Indian variety has long pods, with six to twelve seeds. 

 The variety cultivated in the West Indies has shorter pods, containing one 

 to four seeds. Tamarinds owe their grateful acidity to the presence of 

 citric, tartaric, and other vegetable acids. The pulp mixed with salt is 

 used for a liniment by the Creoles of the Mauritius. Every part of the 

 plant has had medicinal virtues ascribed to it. Fish pickled with tama- 

 rinds are considered a great delicacv. It is said that the acid moisture 

 exhaled by the leaves injures the cloth of tents that remain under them 

 for any length of time. It is also considered unsafe to sleep under the 

 trees. 



403. TANGHINIA VENENIFERA. This plant is a native of Madagascar, and of the 



family Apocynacece. Formerly, when the custom of trial by ordeal was 

 more prevalent than now, the seeds of this plant were in great repute, and 

 unlimited confidence was placed in the poisonous seeds as a detector of 

 guilt. The seeds were pounded, and a small piece swallowed by each per- 

 son to be tried; those in whom it caused vomiting were allowed to escape, 

 but when it was retained in the stomach, it would quickly prove fatal, and 

 their guilt was thus held to be proven. 



404. TASMANNIA AROMATICA. The bark of this plant possesses aromatic qualities, 



closely resembling Winter's bark. The small black fruits are used as a 

 substitute for pepper. 



