LAURACE2E. 



459 



Crypfocarya, 1 Persea, 2 Machilus? Lindera* Litscea, 5 Tetranihera* 

 DapAnidium, 7 Mespilodapluic? Chibaca? Christ mannia, w Cassytha. 11 In 

 some others these parts become more or less bitter and astringent, 

 so that they have been proposed as tonics and febrifuges. This 

 has been the case with Lindera Benzoin™ of North America (figs. 258- 

 260), prescribed as a stimulant, antiperiodic, and even vermifuge, and 

 still more with Nectandra Rodiei™ the Bebeeru™ of Guiana, which 



Prodr., 112, n. 1) is used in Guiana in the 

 treatment of abscesses, buboes, &C.— 0. opifera 

 (Oreodaphne opifera Nees, Syst., 390 ; Meissn., 

 .Prodr., n. 4) is the Canella de Cheiro of the 

 Rio-Negro (Bttchn., Rep., xxxv. 179 ; Rosenth., 

 op. cit., 235). Its fruit is gorged with a limpid 

 yellowish volatile oil, extracted by distillation. 

 Its scent resembles a mixture of that of Hyperi- 

 cum and Portugal. It is used in affections of 

 the joints, rheumatic pains, lumbago, &c. 



1 The Brazilian Nutmegs (Fr., noix de Mus- 

 cade du Bresil) are the fruits of C. moschata 

 Mart, (ex Meissn., Prodr., 74, u. 30 ; Fl. 

 Bras., Laurac, 319) ; they serve the same pur- 

 poses as the Pichurim-beans. From the bark of 

 C. densiHora Bl. (Caryodaphne densijlora 

 Nees) is extracted an aromatic bitter substance, 

 used in Java, like the infused leaves, under the 

 name of Kitedja, in spasmodic affections of the 

 bowels, puerperal convulsions, &c. (Bl., in Nees 

 Syst., 22S). 



2 P. drimyfolia Schltl. (in Linncea, vi. 365), 

 indica Spreng. {Syst., ii. 26S), and some others 

 are used as tonics and stimulants. 



b M. odoratissima Nees, and pilosa Nees, are 

 also aromatic. 



4 L. triloba Bl. {Mus. Lugd.-Bat., i. 325) 

 has the properties of Sassafras officinale, and 

 indeed was given that name by Siebold (in 

 Verh. Bat. Gen., xii. 23). The same virtues 

 must exist in L. obtusiloba Bl., sericea Bl., 

 and umbellata Thtjnb., also natives in Japan, 

 and there used indifferently as sudorifies and 

 depuratives. 



6 The bark of L. Myrrha Nees, and zeylanica 

 Nees (in Amaen. Bot. Bonn., i. 58, t. 5; 

 Meissn., Prodr., 226, n. 27) is aromatic, bitter, 

 anthelmintic, excitant, and emmenagogue (Ro- 

 senth., op. cit., 237). The latter appears to 

 be Laurus Cassia L. (nee alior.), the Cassia 

 cmnamotnea Myrrlia odore of Plukenet 

 {A Imag., 80; Amalth., 52, t. 381). — L. glanca 

 Sieb. (Laurus glauca Thunb., Fl. Jap., 173) 

 yields a camphorated oil, of properties apparently 

 similar to those of Cmnamomum Camphora. 



6 T. laurifolia Jacq. (Meissn., Prodr., 178, 

 n. 5; — Olabraria tersa L., Mantiss., 276; — 

 Sebifera glulinosa Lotiit., Fl. Cochinch., 783; — 

 Lilsaa sebifera Pers., Syn., ii. 4>; — L. chinensis 

 Lamk., Did ., hi. 574), an Asiatic species intro- 

 duced into America, 1ms its leaves and brandies 



gorged with a glutinous substance, so that when 

 bi - uiaed in water they make it mucilaginous. 

 It is used in inflammations, redness of the skin, 

 hysterical affections, &c. T. citrata NEES, gla- 

 braria Nees, Roxburghii Bl., are only varieties 

 of this, and possess the same properties. T. 

 monopetala Roxb. (PI. Coromand., ii. 26, 1. 148 ; 

 Meissn., Prodr., n. 44) has an astringent bark, 

 prescribed in India for diarrhoea, dysentery, &c. 



7 J). Cubeba Nees (Syst., 615) is Laurus 

 Cubeba Lour. (Fl. Cochinch., 310; — Litsma 

 Cubeba Pees., Syn., ii. 4), whose aromatic 

 berries have the same medicinal powers as the 

 true cubebs. 



8 The Bois de Cannelle of theMascarene islands 

 is M. cupularis Meissn. (Prodr., 104, n. 28 ; — 

 Laurus cupularis Lamk. ; — Agathophyllum cu- 

 pulare Bl.). Aromatic stimulant barks are also 

 produced by some neighbouring species of the 

 same country. The Canella Sassafras of the 

 Brazilians is M. Sassafras Meissn. (Prodr., 

 n. 21). 



9 The bark of this doubtful Laurad (see 

 above, p. 419, note 10) is considered in South 

 Africa as an all-powerful specilic in the malig- 

 nant sore throat endemic in those parts (Ro- 

 senth., op. cit., 238) ; whence the name of 

 C. salutaris Bert. 



10 Corondi is an Indian drug, produced by C. 

 Corondi Dennst. (ex Rosenth., op. cit., 1066) ; 

 but this plant probably does not belong to the 

 order Lauracea- (see p. 449, note 10). 



11 C. Jilformis L. (see above, p. 440, note 6, 

 figs. 261-268) is mixed with butter and used 

 in urethritis in Senegal. A sort of putty is 

 prepared in Java from bruised Cassytha and 

 chalk. 



12 Meissn., Prodr., 211, n. 1. — Laurus Ben- 

 zoin L., Hort. Cliff., 134; Spec., i. 580.— L. 

 pseudo-Benzoin Micux. — Ecosmus Benzoin 

 Nutt. — Benzoin odoriferum Nees, Syst., 197. 

 — Lindi., Fl. Med., 339.— H. Bn., in Diet. 

 Encycl. des Sc. Medic, ix. 96. — Feverwood, 

 Spicewood, Spiceberry of the natives. A vola- 

 tile oil is also extracted. 



13 SCHOMB., ex Meissn., Prodr., 155, n. 28. 

 — N. leucantha y Nees, in Linncea, xxi. 5< IS 



(part.). 



u Or Bibirti of the Arrawacks, Sipeen <>t the 

 Dutch, Cceur vert [green-heart] of the French 



colonists. 



