123 



use of it in catarrhal complaints. The leaves 

 are extremely villous, and appear to be covered 

 v\'ith cotton ; the flowers, which do not exceed 

 four, are composite and flosculated, they are of 

 a golden colour and placed at the top of the 

 branches, and the seed resembles much that of 

 the sloechas citrina.* 



The retamilla (linum aquilinum) or g/zrmcw 

 laliuen, grows usually at the foot of the moun- 

 tains. The root is very long and perennial ; it 

 puts forth yeveral branchy stalks, furnished with 

 small alternate lanceolated leaves ; the flowers 

 are yellow, with five petals, and are attached by 

 pairs to a common pedicle; the pystil becomes 

 changed into a membranaceous pentagonal cap- 

 sule, contai.injz: a number of little seeds. This 

 plant possesses the same virtues as the viravira, 

 and is used in the same cases. 



* Aiiioi]^ the Iicrbs that cover the mountains tliere are 

 manv that arc ruotriatic and mcfiicinal; of the latter, the 

 must in est<'ein with tlie country peojjie is t!ic cach-iuhigua, or 

 liltle centaury, v/hich appears to nie to i>e bitterer than that 

 of" France, and, of coarse, more abundant in that salt which is 

 consifiered. as an excellent febrifuge. Tiie viravira is a species 

 of houseleck, an infusion of wiiich was found to he very ser- 

 liceable by a French surgeon in the cure of tertian fevers, 

 Th.ere is also a species of senna perfectly resembling that of 

 the Levant, in the place of uhicii it is used by the apolhe* 

 <:aries of St. Jago ; it is called by the Indians mwperquen, 

 Frazisrs f^'oyage, vol. i. 



