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NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



P. arborescens? &c., 2 in Tropical Asia ; P. capense* in South Africa. 

 Several Peperomias are also used as stomachics and tonics, such as 

 P. trifolia, hispidida, rotundifolia, &c, in Tropical America, and 

 P. grandifolia* in Guinea. In the herbaceous species the sapid and 

 aromatic principles become scantier ; but their leaves are used as vege- 

 tables or infused like tea. 5 The Chloranthece are also aromatic and 

 bitter, tonic and stimulant. C/doranthus officinalis 6 and brachystachys 1 

 are prized for their roots, which have a persistent pungent scent of 

 camphor, with a rather bitter taste. They are supposed to have the 

 same properties as Aristolocliia Serpent aria ; the mountaineers often 

 find their stimulating infusion efficacious in fevers accompanied by 

 great muscular weakness and suppression of the action of the skin. 

 This drug, mixed with the bark of Cedrela Ihona, has cured 

 epidemic intermittent fever, and severe cases of typhus ; com- 

 bined with Cinnamomum Culilawan it is used to relieve spasm in 

 children ; and with carminatives it is of the greatest service for 

 children in small-pox and chicken-pox. It is, in fine, an inestimable 

 stimulant, according to Blume. Ascarina po/ystac//ys, s the Earaihau 

 of Tahiti, has very persistent aromatic properties. 9 The species of 

 Hedyosmum are similarly used in America as aromatic stimulants. 

 H. Botiplandianwn 10 is an analeptic, useful in fevers, lumbago, head- 

 ache, &c. Several other species have the properties of Artanthe, and 

 share with it the name of Herba soldado. In the Antilles //. nutans" 

 and arborescens 12 (figs. 520-525) are popular remedies for spasms or 



1 RoXB., Fl. hid., i. 161. — Sirium arborescens 

 tertium Rtjmph., Herb. Amboin., v. t. 28, fig. 1. 

 Its bark is deemed an energetic rubefacient. 



2 Among other useful species we may mention 

 P. dilatatum Rich., dichotornum R. & Pay., 

 Carpunya R. & Fav., attenuatum Miq. (diffu- 

 sum Vahl), sanctum Scheechtl., geniculatum 

 Sw., asperifolium R. & Pav. (Matico of Peru), 

 peltatum L., subpeltatum W., Churumaya R. & 

 Pav., longifolium R. & Pav., Waracabouca C. 

 DC. (Nhambi of the Brazilians), crocatum R. 

 & Pay., Jaboratidi Velloz (Serronia Jaborandi 

 Gatjdich. & Guillem.), Neesianum C. DC.,&c. — 

 See Rosenth., op. cit„ 176-179, 1102, 1103. 



3 L. fil., Suppl., 90.— C. DC, Prodr., n. 

 405. — Coccobryon capense Kx. (ex Miq., Syst., 

 343; III, 50, t. 61). 



4 Use is often made of P. reniformis Hook., 

 talinifolia L.K., variegata R. & Pav., elliptica 

 Lk. (Piper mauritianum Sch.), cristallina R. 



& Pav., incequaUfoJia R. & Pav., acuminata R. 

 & Pav., &c. — See Rosenth., op. cit., 179, 1103. 



5 For instance, P. pellucida H. B., rotundi- 

 folia H. B., &c. 



6 Bl., Enum. PI. Jan., iii. 10, 1. 1. — Schnizl., 

 Iconogr., t. 80, figs. 1-6. — De Solms, Prodr., 

 474, n. 1. — C. sumatranus Miq. — C. salicifolius 

 Pbesl. — C. indicus Wight. — Cryphaa erecta 

 Ham. 



' Bl., Fl. Jav., iii. 13, 14, t. 2. — Lindl., 

 Veg. Kingd., 519. 



s Foest., Char. Gen., t. 59.— De Solms, 

 Prodr., 478, n. 1. 



9 Endl., Enchirid., 148. 



10 H. B. K., iVoo. Gen. et Spec, vii. 165, t. 

 654, 655. — Rosenth., op. cit., 175. 



11 Sw., Fl. Ind. Occ, 959. — C. J. de Coedem., 

 in Adansonia, iii. 305. 



12 Sw., loc. cit., 961. 



