VITACEJE. 



Nat. syst. ed.2.p. 30. 



VITIS. 



Calyx somewhat 5-toothed. Petals 5, cohering at the point, 

 separating at the base, and dropping off like a calyptra. Sta- 

 mens 5. Style none. Berry 2-celled, 4-seeded ; the cells or 

 seeds often abortive. 



1 37. V. vinifera Linn. sp. pi. 293. D C. prodr. i. 633. Woodv. 

 t. 195. S. and C. iii. t. 140. Wild in the South of Asia DC. 

 certainly so in Greece Sibth. (Common Grape-vine.) 



Leaves lobed, sinuated, toothed, smooth or downy. " A variable 

 plant ; the leaves more or less lobed, smooth pubescent or downy, flat 

 or crisp, pale or deep green ; the branches prostrate climbing or erect, 

 tender or hard ; the bunches loose or compact ovate or cylindrical ; 

 the berries red, yellow or purple, watery or fleshy, globose ovate or 

 oblong. Sweet musky or austere ; seeded or seedless. DC" Ripe 

 fruit cooling and antiseptic ; in large quantities diuretic and laxative ; 

 very useful in bilious and putrid fevers, dysentry, and all inflamma- 

 tory affections. Raisins more laxative than the fresh fruit. 



CISSUS. 



Calyx nearly entire. Petals 4, giving way from the base to 

 the apex. Stamens 4. Ovary 4-celled. Berry 1-4-seeded. 



138. C. setosa Eoxb.fi. ind. i. 410. DC. prodr. i. 630. 

 Forests and hedges in Bengal. 



Root fusiform, perennial. Stems herbaceous, succulent, round, 

 striated, and covered with distinct, grandular, round-headed, white 

 bristles, as is every part of the plant, even to the fruit. Tendrils oppo- 

 site the leaves, generally 2-cleft. Leaves alternate, sessile, ternate, 

 rarely quinate ; the lateral leaflets sessile, the middle short-stalked, all 

 oval, waved, fleshy, irregularly and coarsely edged by bristly serra- 

 tures, both sides setose, as above described. Stipules cordate. Cymes 

 axillary, solitary. Petals revolute. Every part of the plant ex- 

 ceedingly acrid. The leaves toasted and oiled are applied to indolent 

 tumours to bring them to suppuration. 



139. C. acida Linn, sp.pl. 170, a South American plant, has 

 the same properties. 



140. C. salutaris HBKv. 225, from New Andalusia and Cu- 

 mana, has a root useful in dropsical cases. 



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