URTICACE^. 



612. F. elastica Roxb. fl. ind. iii. 541. Mountains on the 

 North of Silhet. 



A tree, the size of a sycamore. Leaves alternate, stalked, smooth, 

 oval or oblong, quite entire, acute, glossy, with numerous fine diverging 

 veins ; midrib strong, smooth, deeply stained with red ; stipules sheath- 

 ing, tapering, convolute, bright red. Fruit sessile, in pairs, oval, 

 greenish-yellow, about the size of a fig. A great quantity of tenacious 

 juice flows from the branches when wounded, and inspissates into an 

 excellent kind of Caoutchouc, which is now imported. There is no 

 reason to doubt that many other species of this genus yield a juice with 

 quite the same properties. It is believed that the Java Caoutchouc is 

 produced exclusively by figs. 



613. F. racemosa Linn. sp. 1515. Willd. iv. 1 146. (Rumph. 

 iii. tt. 87, 88. Rheede i. t. 25.) East Indies. 



Leaves 3 inches long and more, covered with white dots, oblong- 

 lanceolate, acute, but little narrowed to the base, 3-nerved, veiny, on 

 the upper side dark-green and shining, on the under very much marked 

 with green dots ; petiole \ an inch long and more. Fruit racemose. 

 The bark is slightly astringent, and has particular virtues in haematuria, 

 and menorhagia. The juice of the root is considered a powerful tonic. 



614. F. septica Forst. prodr. ii. 407. Leaves emetic. 



615. F. toxicaria Linn. mant. 305. Juice a virulent poison. 



616. F. religiosa Linn, sp.pl. 1514. Willd. iv. 1134. Roxb. 

 fl. ind. iii. 547. (Rheede i. t. 27.) Common all over the East 



Indies. 



A very large tree, with a rent rugged trunk. Leaves stalked, cor- 

 date, ovate, very much acuminate, with the margins scolloped, smooth 

 on both sides, bright green above ; stalks long, round, smooth. Fruit 

 sessile, in pairs, depressed, when ripe the size and colour of a small 

 black cherry. Seeds considered by the doctors of India to be cooling 

 and alterative. 



617. F. CaricaZzVm. sp.pl. 1513. Willd. iv. 1131. Roxb.fl. 

 ind. iii. 528. Woodv. t. 130. S. and C. iii. t. 154. Persia 

 and Asia Minor. (Common Fig.) 



A small crooked tree or large bush. Branches round, green or 

 russet, covered with a coarse short down. Leaves rough on the upper 

 side, coarsely downy beneath, cordate, 3-5-lobed, or almost entire, 

 coarsely serrated. Fruit solitary, axillary, more or less pear-shaped or 

 almost round, succulent, sweet and pleasant to the taste. All the 

 parts abound in an acrid milky juice which produces a disagreeable 

 burning sensation in the fauces. When quite ripe this disappears in 

 the fruit, which become sweet high-flavoured wholesome and delicious. 

 Eaten in moderation they are digestible ; but in too great quantity they 

 occasion flatulence and diarrhoea. They are pectoral and demulcent, 

 and occasionally eaten to remove habitual costiveness. Roasted and 

 split they are sometimes used as poultices for gum-boils and other 

 circumscribed maturating tumours. They are employed in making the 

 Confection of Senna and similar preparations. 



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