274 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



Jatcorliirja paliiiafa }icl(ls the official drug calumba (p. 459). 

 The plant is a herbaceous climber somewhat resembling Meni- 

 spermum, the leaves being more decidedly lobed. The flowers 

 form long racemes. 



Chondrodcndron touicntosiiui, the source of the official drug 

 pareira (p. 460), is a high woody twiner. The leaves are large, 

 petiolate, broadly ovate or rounded, slightly cordate, and densely 

 tomentose on the lower surface. 



Anamirta paiiicnlata is a woody climber of the East Indies. 

 The fruits, known as fishberries or Cocculus, are used as a fish 

 poison by the natives and contain the neutral principle picrotoxin. 



Very many other plants of the ^Menispermaceae contain 

 powerful toxic principles and are used as fish poisons and as anti- 

 dotes to snake poison. Several species of Abuta are used in the 

 preparation of curare poison. 



e. MAGNOLIACE^ OR MAGNOLIA FAAIILY. The 

 plants are mostly trees or shrubs and are represented in the United 

 States by the magnolias and tulip tree (Liriodciidron tulipifcra). 

 The latter is a magnificent tree with characteristic leaves (Fig. 

 74) and large, fragrant, orange-colored, tulip-like flowers. 



The plants of this family contain a variety of constituents. 

 Ethereal oils containing anethol and resembling those of anise 

 are found in the fruit of lUicinm anisatuui (I. verum) or star 

 ANISE, a sm^ll evergreen tree growing in the mountains of South- 

 ern China. A volatile oil with a disagreeable odor is found in a 

 closely related species /. religiosnin (Shikimi) of Japan. The 

 fruit of the latter plant is known as Japanese star anise and 

 contains in addition a poisonous neutral principle. The fruits of 

 both star anise (Illicium) and the Japanese star anise are made up 

 of 6 to 8 radially arranged follicles, which are dark brown, de- 

 hiscent on the upper (ventral) surface and each contains a single, 

 brown, shiny seed. Star anise has an odor and taste resembling 

 anise. Japanese star anise has a bitter taste and in addition is 

 brownish-black, very woody and strongly beaked. 



Volatile oils are also found in the flowers of the various species 

 of Magnolia and m Michelia Champaca found in the Malay Archi- 

 pelago and cultivated in India and r>razil. and in M. nilagirica of 

 India, the latter being used in perfumery. 



