270 



NATUllAL mSTOBY OF PLANTS. 



hiru'c intestine. If, as is tlionglit by this author, the TJvaria fehrifuga 

 of JIiMHOLDT is really identical with XyJopia hicida, this plant not 

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

 espcciall}' useful in pyrexia arising from debility of the alimentary 

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

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

 exactly comparable to the Myrtaceous plant known as Piper jamaicense 

 \^All spice or Pimento]. The fruit of X. sericea is the best to preserve 

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

 of X. fnitescens has a stronger, but less acrid perfume than pepper ; it 

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

 retic.- Moreover, a decoction of its fruits vdth those of the Galanga 

 is used to cure foetid breath and to arrest caries of the teeth. The 

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

 of their common dishes. 



The aborigines of that country give the name Emhira or Jhira 

 to certain species oiXylopia with textile liber, especially X. frutescens? 

 European industry might perhaps render this very useful to manu- 

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

 species of Canavga {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 Q2^Qi\iPinclaiba.'^ 

 Vases are made from that of Guatteria australis, jlava, nigrescens, 

 villomssima. The flexible branches of several species are used in 

 fishing." De Martius has given the name G. vejieficorum^ to a 

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

 icourali] poisons of equinoctial America. Many species of Guatteria 

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

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

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

 making stoppers. Moreover, in certain departments of carpentry 



' lieise in Bras., ii. 550. 



' These fruits should only he used after being 

 dried in the shade. The dose is from sLx to 

 twenty grains of the powder itself, and twice as 

 much if in infusion. 



' Makt., op. cit., 63. 



* P/HJa/itf, according to A. de Saint-Hilaire, 

 means a prop for lines. In Brazil are distin- 

 guished P.bratwa and P.preta (white and black). 



* It is also for their flexibility that the 



branches of Aberemoa {^Duguetia) quitarensis 

 are made into whip handles (ScnoMBUEGK). 



'' Op. cit., 34, n. 31 J Reise, iii. 327, and in 

 BuCHN. Rep. d. Pharm., xxxvi. iii. 344. " Crescit 

 in syhis sec. fl. Japura, apiid Indos qvi Juri 

 dicunfur, quihus ad veneficiv.m\iva.v\ adhihetur." 

 AuBLET [Guian., 608, t. 244) says that the fruit 

 and leaves of C. Ouregou have a pungent aro- 

 matic flavour. 



