41 



cous, prickly throughout, but bearing larger and 

 sharper spines along the margins. I^ lowers racemose, 

 crowded. Stamens double as long as the corolla. 



The Cape Aloes are procured from several species of this 

 extensive genus, so peculiar to South Africa. The Aloe 

 ferox. Lam., a native of Swellendam, is generally acknow- 

 ledged to yield the best extract. That obtained' from the 

 Aloe africana. Mill, is almost equally good, but not so 

 bitter, nor so powerful as a drastic. It is the produce of 

 the eastern districts, whence large quantities are annually 

 exported. The Aloe commonly used by the Colonists, is 

 prepared from the Aloe jAicatilis. MilU, whose extract is 

 a much milder purgative, and much resembles the Bar- 

 badoes Aloes. It inhabits the mountainous range near 

 the Paarl, Drakenstein, and Fransche Hoek. It is much 

 to be regretted, that the farmers do not take more trouble 

 in purifying this valuable drug. 



ORNITHOGALUM. Lin. 



(^AspJiodelece,) 



VI. — 1. HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



90. Ornithogalum altissimum. Lin. Bulb very large, 

 round, tunicated. Leaves (appearing after the scape 

 has withered) strap-shaped and lanceolate, convolutely- 

 mucronate. Scape solitary, glaucous, racemose, elon- 

 gated. Raceme cylindrical, lengthened, crowded with 

 white scentless flowers. 



The fleshy bulb of this plant often grows as lai'ge as a 

 child's head. It is diuretic, and a kind of oxyiiiel, Hke 

 that obtained from the Hcem^anthus coccinetis, is prepared 

 from it, and employed as a demulcent in catarrh, asthma, 

 consumption, and hydrothorax. It resembles the Scilla 

 maritima in its effects, is common in Zwailland, where 

 it is called Mayerman, and may be prescribed as a sub- 

 stitute for Scilla. 



TULBAGHIA. Thbg. 

 {Asphodele(B.) 



VI. 1. HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. LIN. SYST. 



91. Tulhaghia alliacea. Thhg. Root fasciculated, 

 imperfectly bulbous, fibrous. Leaves sheating at base, 

 two-rowed, strap-shaped, linear, obtuse, streaked, 

 smooth. Scape simple, longer than the leaves, ending 



