318 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



in most request, also contains vegetable albumen, permalate of lime, 

 &c., and was formerly taken internally in inflammatory and bilious 

 fevers, &c. The White Stonecrop {Petite-Joubarbe, or Trique Madame), 1 

 was held to have similar cooling virtues, with a slight astringency 

 that made it a vulnerary application. The Common Orpine or Live- 

 long {Orjrin commun ; fig. 331 ) 2 is also used topically in the country 

 to induce cicatrization. Many allied species of Stonecrop and House- 

 leek, very poor in active principles and rich in water, are used raw 

 or cooked in the preparation of soup, as vegetables, or for poultices, 3 

 &c. But in some others acrid or even caustic principles are developed, 

 which make them irritant, rubefacient, emetic, or purgative, so that 

 care is needed in their use. The best known is our Wall Pepper 

 (fig. 332-337), 4 which has a pungent disagreeable taste, and is some- 

 times prescribed as a resolvent. Dried and powdered it is here and 

 there given in epilepsy. Pennywort or Navelwort (fig. 34 1) 5 is also 

 thought to be of use in epilepsy. Other Crassulads appear to have 

 special virtues. Crassula tetragonal is considered a good astringent, 

 and is given with milk in diarrhoea by the Japanese. Bryojihyllum 



PI. Gr., t. 104; Prodr., III. 413, n. 23.— Sow., 

 Engl. Pot., t. 1320.— Gtjib., loc. cit., 254. — 

 Lindl., PI. Med., 275.— R£v., in PI. Med. du 

 x\x* Steele, ii. 184.— Caz., Traite des PI. Med. 

 Indig., ed. 3, 536. — Sedum tectorum Scop., PL 

 Carniol., ed. 2, n. 529 (Art/chard des Toils, A. 

 sauvage, Barbajou, Jombarbe, PLerbe aux cors, 

 Saxifrage pyramidale ; PLerba Sempervivi s. 

 Sedi major is off.). 



1 Sedum album L., Spec, 619. — DC, PI. Gr., 

 t. 22 ; Prodr., iii. 406, n. 48. — Guib., loc. cit , 

 254, fig. 632,-Rosenth., op. cit., 574.— #. 

 teretifolium Lame., Fl. Fr., iii. 48 (Basinet, 

 Biz sauvage, Joubarbe blanche ; PLerba Sedi 

 minoris lutei off.). 



2 S. Telephium L., Spec, 616, a, /3, y.— DC, 

 PI. Gr., t. 92; Prodr., iii. 402, n. 9.— Guib., 

 op. cit., 255. — Caz., op. cit., 721. — £. vulgare 

 Lame. (Beprise, Grassette, Joubarbe des Yignes, 

 Herbe aux coupures ; PLerba Telephii s. Fabarice 

 s. Faba crassa oft'.). Its leaves, fresh or pre- 

 served in oil, are considered vulnerary, astringent 

 and cooling. Many other Mediterranean species 

 formerly enjoyed a similar reputation, viz.: "Sedum 

 altissimum PoiR. C keifaov to puKpov, DlOSC.), 

 S. stellatum L. ('Aei'<>oi' rpirov elSos), S. 

 Anacampseros L. (Jrfkidnov, PLerba Anacamp- 

 serotis off), S. Cepma L. (Kr^nala)." (Endl., 

 Fiwhirid., 406). — £. amplexicaule DC. has the 



same properties as S. altissimum. S. purpu- 

 reum Haw. and maximum Sut. may be used 

 instead of S. Telephium, as also S. confertum 

 Del., in Egypt. 



3 The chief species are Sedum Telephium L., 

 album L., rejlexum L., Bhodiola L., longifolium 

 L., Anacampseros L., and Sempervivum tectorum 

 L. 



4 Sedum acre L., Spec, 619.— DC, PI. Gr., 

 t. 117; Prodr., iii. 407, u. 51.— Bull., Serb., 

 t. 30.— Guib., loc. cit., 256, fig. 633.— Lixul., 

 Fl. Med., 276. — Caz;., op. cit., 538 ( Vermiculaire 

 Brulante, Joubarbe acre, Marquet, Pain-d'oiseau, 

 Poivre de murailles, Illecebra ; PLerba Sedi 

 acris s. Illecebra; off). S. sexangulare L., a 

 closely allied species, and S. boloniense Lois., are 

 much less acrid. 



5 Cotyledon "Umbilicus L., Spec, 615 a. — 

 Sow., Fngl. Pot., t. 325. — Umbilicus pendulums 

 DC, PI. Gr., t. 156 ; Prodr., iii. 400, a. 6.— 

 GtriB., loc cit., 256 (Cotylet, Nombril de Uenus, 

 Copertoicole, PLerbe aux hunches, a Vhirondelle, 

 Ecuelles, Cymbalion, Queue-de-rondelle ; PLerba 

 umbilici Ueneris off). C. orbiculalus is also con- 

 sidered of use in epilepsy. 



6 L., Spec, 404.— DC, PI. Gr., t. 19 ; Pro L:, 

 iii. 384, n. 10. The same properties are ascribed 

 to C. porlulacea Lamk. 





