VEGETABLE KINGDOM. \ 37 



AMOMUM MEDIUM. ^:f:|| (Ts'ao-kuo), ' 1347. This 

 is the ovoid China cardamoii of Haubury, as was first described 

 by Loureiro. It is described in the Phitsao together with 

 Alpinia globosiim^ from which it is with difficulty distin- 

 guished. It comes from Kuangsi and Yunnan. The elongated, 

 oval capsules are compared by the Chinese to the fruits of 

 Ter7ninalia chcbida (M ^ ^). They vary from sometjiing 

 less than an inch to an inch-and-three-quarters in length, and 

 exhibit externally some indication of the three-celled character 

 of the fruit. Long coarse pedicels are frequently attached to 

 the capsules. The pericarp is of a reddish or greyish-brown 

 color, closely corrugated, moderately thick and brittle, with a 

 whitish bloom on the surface in many instances. The taste 

 is woody, or but very faintly aromatic. The mass of large, 

 hard, angular, reddish seeds is but loosely attached to the 

 internal surface of the pericarp by membranous adhesions. 

 The seeds have a warm, terebinthinate flavor, and the odor, 

 when fresh, is said to be strong, like that of the Telini-fly 

 (Mylabris cichorii). The small unripe fruit is called f,| ^ ^ 

 (Ying-ko-she), or "parrot's tongue." The drug is used in 

 much the same cases as the Amominn globosum^ to which it is 

 preferred in the treatment of the various forms of dyspepsia. 

 The seeds only are used, and are given in the form of a 

 decoction for affections of the stomach, or as a tincture in ague, 

 catarrh, or other systemic diseases. It is said to have been 

 formerly much used as a condiment or spice. 



AMOMUM MELEGUETA. — As is well known, this 

 plant, together with Amomum granutn-paradisi furnish the 

 ^■^ grains of paradise^'''' or " Guinea grains ^''^ of commerce. 

 These plants are native of Africa, and have been transplanted 

 in the West Indies. So far as known, neither are found in 

 Asia. Notwithstanding, Porter Smith has the following to 

 say about these "grains:" "These are the aromatic seeds 

 of the Amomum xanthoides and the similar fruit of the 

 Elettaria cardamojnum^ or at least, according to Dr. Waring, 

 of the Ceylon variety of the Malabar cardamon. Dr. Wil- 

 liams gives their Chinese name as f0 ^j; ^ (Hsi-sha-tou) 

 and their botanical source as Amomum grana-paradisa.^'' The 



