118 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



those of S. platanifolia' (figs. 85-S7) in China; in America, those 

 of PacMra aquatica ; in the East, those of Hibiscus ficulneus, 

 before maturity ; in tropical Africa, those of several Sidas, roasted 

 as a substitute for coffee. It is known that children eat, under the 

 name of cheeses (Fr., Fromageons), the carpels of most of our indi- 

 genous Mallows. Very often the seeds of the Malvacece are prin- 

 cipally edible on account of the oil they contain in abundance. A 

 great deal of oil is now obtained as food for cattle, from the oleagi- 

 nous embryo of the Cotton plant, which was formerly thrown away 

 after the textile material had been removed. This embryo is now 

 employed in the preparation of emulsions. The oil is used in Brazil, 

 in seasoning food for man, and it is burnt for lighting purposes. The 

 seeds of Sterculia furnish the natives of the Moluccas with an oil 

 good to eat or to burn. The Nut of Malabar, whose oil also is burnt, 

 is S. Balanghas" (figs. 79-84). The seeds of some Sidas, especially 

 those of S. hirta L., are eaten in India as aperients and diuretics ; 

 those of S. abutilifolia as emollients. The seeds of Hibiscus abel- 

 mosc/ius 3 (Fr., Ambretie) are considered astringents and alexiphar- 

 mics. They are especially valued for their perfume, their odour recal- 

 ling that of musk. This plant, a native of Tropical Asia, is cultivated 

 in most warm countries. The best seeds are said to come from 

 Martinique. In medicine it is employed as a stimulant and 

 antispasmodic. It is also proposed to utilize in perfumery Palavia 

 moscltcda, also very odoriferous. The perfume of the flowers is 

 not generally very strong among the Malvacece. The corollas of 

 the Oceanian and Indian Melochias, which have numerous flowers in 

 panicles, called also Visenia, have an agreeable and lively odour 

 which can be extracted. The herbaceous organs of the Malvacece 

 are pretty often edible, especially the leaves, the young shoots, 

 and sometimes the roots. It is said that the ancient inhabitants 

 of the Canary Islands lived on the roots of Malva and Althcea, 

 scraped and cooked in milk. TJhe shoots of the Marsh-Mallow 



1 L., Supph, 423. — Hibiscus simplex L., Encycl. So. Med., i. 200. — Abelmosehns commu- 



Spee.,977. — Firmiana platanifolia Mabsigi. — nis Medik. — Guib., Drog. Simpt., ed. 6, iii. 



B. Be., loc. <At., 235. — Citlkamia Foiisk. 640, fig. 743. — A. moschafus Mcench. — Ro- 



- L., Spec, 1438 — DC, Prodi:, n. 2.— senth., op. cit., 711. — Grannm moschatitm 



Cavalam Rheed., Hort. Mulab., i. t. 49. Rumph., Herb. Amboin., iv. 40, 15 (vulg. Flew 



3 Hibiscus Abelmoschus L., Spec, 980. — musquee). 

 DC, Prodr., i. 452, n. 72.— H. Bn., in Diet. 



