24 



"CROWN BARKS" OF 



Chap. II. 



{clmlmar). To these the botanist Tafalla added the C. crispa. 

 These three species are all included in Humboldt's C Con- 

 daminea, which is readily known by the little pits, bordered 

 with liairs, at the axils of the veins on the under side of 

 the leaf. It would appear that at one period of growth these 

 little pits or scrobicules are wanting, but when the plant is 

 in full vigour they are markedly prominent. The C. Cha- 

 huarguera^ is described by Pavon as growing from eighteen 

 to twenty-four feet in height ; although now the trees, which 

 yield the Loxa bark of commerce, do not attain a height of 

 more than four to nine feet. It is met with on the grassy 

 open crests of mountain ridges, in light sandy soil inter- 

 spersed with rocks, amongst shrubs and young j)lants. The 

 barks of Loxa were called crown harks, because they were 

 reserved for the exclusive use of the royal pharmacy at 

 Madi'id ; and they originally sold at Panama for five and 

 six dollars, and at Seville for twelve dollars the pound ; 

 but in later times they Avere much adulterated, and the 

 price fell to one doUar the pound. 



The C. Chahuarguera is the rusty crown bark of commerce,' 

 and the 0. crispa is the quina jina de Loxa or crespilla negra 

 of the natives. A parcel of it has quite recently sold at a 

 higher price than Calisaya quills. With this rusty crown hark 

 are mixed larger quills particularly rich in the alkaloid called 

 chinchonidine.*^ The C. Uritudnga grew to the height of a 

 lofty forest tree, but it is now nearly exterminated. The 

 leaves assume a red colour before they fall, acquii-iug the 

 most beautiful tints, and the tree is one of the finest in 

 those forests.'' It is said that there is a great difierence in 



^ It is the form of C. Condaminea, 

 represented in the imshaded branch 

 with cajisules, Plate x. of the Plantes 

 Equiiwctiales. 



' It comes in very small quills, as if 

 liJiCn from a mere shrub. 



*• Besides gf(/«?we several other febri- 



fugal alkaloids are found in the chiu- 

 chona barks, one of the most important 

 of which is chinchonidine, discovered 

 by Pasteur in 1852. 



^ I found some very beautiful ckied 

 spccuueii.s of this species m the botii- 

 nieal gardens at MatUid last year. The 



