309 



a 



MENISPERMACE/E. 



[Diclinous Exogens. 



Active narcotic and bitter qualities prevail amoug the species, the former in excess, 

 rendering them poisonous, the latter causing them to be regarded as valuable tonics : 

 a few are mucilaginous. These properties are due to peculiar principles residing in the 

 plants, and called Calumbine, Menispermine, and Picrotoxine, the characters of which 

 are yet little known. Calumbine occurs in the root of Jateorhiza palmata, the Calumba 

 root of commerce, which is extensively used on the coast of Africa as a tonic ; it is 

 narcotic and bitter. It is also found in several species of Tinospora. Botryopsis 

 platyphylla and cinerea (called Butua), Cissampelos ovalifolia (Orelha de Onca) are 

 used in Brazil, and Cissampelos Pareira (Pareira brava), and Caapeba in the West 

 Indies, Cissampelos Mauritiana in Madagascar, Coscinium fenestratum (Weni-vel) in 

 Ceylon, and Tinospora Bakis in Senegal, as tonics and diuretics. The Brazilians 

 administer Cissampelos glaberrima and ebracteata against serpent bites. An 



Pig. CCXIII. 



intoxicating spirit is obtained from the root of Cissampelos obtccta {Royle) ; that of 

 Cissampelos glabra is said to be extremely acrid. (Roxb.) The bark, wood, and leaves 

 are also employed for the same purposes ; the stalks and leaves of Tinospora cordifolia 

 are much used as a tonic, in an infusion called in Bengal Pachaua, while an extract of 

 the stem, called Palo, is regarded as a diuretic. The bark of Chondodendron con- 

 volvulaceum (Uva del monte), is employed as a febrifuge in Peru. Endlicher states 

 that the bark of some species is used for dyeing yellow. Wight says that extract of 

 Galuncha, so much recommended in India as a febrifuge, may be prepared from the 

 bruised stems of Tinospora verrucosa and cordifolia ; the young shoots of the latter 

 are a powerful emetic. The wood and bark of Coscinium are regarded as furnishing 



Fig. CCXIII. — Cocculus macrocavpus — after Wight. 1. <? flower; 2. a petal and stamen; 3. a 

 fluster of fruit ; 4. seed ; 5. section of ditto showing embryo. 



