270 NATURAL HTSTOIiY OF PLAXTS. 



larg^e intestine. If, as is thouf^ht by tliis author, the Uvaria febri/tn/a 

 of Humboldt is really identical with Xiflopia Incida, this plant not 

 only arrests fever, but cures inflammations of the intestine, and is 

 especially useful in pyrexia arising from debility of the alimentary 

 canal. Dk Marti us' has also informed us that these fruits are 

 gathered before maturity for medicinal use, and that their action is 

 exactly comparable to the Myrtaceous plant known as Piper jamnicensc 

 [Allspice or Pimetifo]. The I'ruit of X. sericea is the best to preserve 

 in the pharmacy, retaining its aromatic virtues the longest. That 

 of X. frutesce/in has a stronger, but less acrid perfume than pepper ; it 

 is supposed to act especially on the nervous system and as a diapho- 

 retic* Moreover, a decoction of its fruits with those of the Galanc/a 

 is used to cure I'oitid breath and to arrest caries of the teeth. The 

 Brazilians also use it as a condiment to season meat, lish, and many 

 of their common dishes. 



The aborigines of that country give the name Emhira or Third 

 to certain species of Xylopia with textile liber, especially A^. fniiescens? 

 European industry might perhaps render this very useful to manu- 

 facture certain tissues. Perhaps, too, the liber bundles of several 

 species of Canaucja {Guatteria) might serve the same purpose. Their 

 wood is not very solid, but is nevertheless used for several articles of 

 domestic furniture. That of the Brazilian species is called Pindaiba* 

 Vases are made from that of Guatteria australis, Jlava, }ii(/rc.scciis, 

 villoaissima. The flexible branches of several species are used in 

 fishing.* De Martius has given the name G. venejicori(iit to a 

 species that enters into the composition of one of the curare [or 

 wourali] poisons of equinoctial America. Many species of Guatteria 

 and Xijlopia have a soft spongy wood ; that of the roots especially 

 might serve the same purpose as that of Anona palunfris, which in 

 that country plays the part of cork, and is chiefly collected for 

 making stoppers. Moreover, in certain departments of carpentry 



' Reige in Bras., ii. 55(». briuiclies of Aberemoa {Duffuetia) qui/arensis 



' Tlieso fruits should only ho used after being are niiide into whij) handles (SciioMnriuiK). 



dried in the shade. The doso is from six to " Ojj. cit., 3-1-. n. 31 ; Keise, iii. 327, and in 



twenty grains of the powder itself, and twice as BuciiN. Htp. d. Pharm., xxxvi. iii. 314. "Crracit 



much if in infusion. /» Kiflcm sec. Jl. JapurA, «/*«</ Iiidos qui Juri 



' Maht., up. cil., 03. tlirun/iir, quihus ad veneficium Uniri adhibriur." 



* /'«(n/(/(7.(/,a(cordingtoA. dk Saint-II ii.aiuk, Auiu.i:T((j''M;rtH., Gi)8, t. 'lU) says that the fruit 

 means a prop for liiu-x. In IJra/.il are distin- and leaves of C. Onreqou have a pungent aro- 

 guished /'.hranra n\u\ /'. prt-ta (wliito and lilaek). matic flavour. 



* It is also for their flexibility that the 



