MALVACEJJJ. 121 



blennorrhagic. Trochetia Ihyihroxylon? a plant which is now said to 

 have disappeared from the vegetation of St. Helena, was formerly 

 used there as an emollient. The bark of Kydia calycina Roxb. is 

 employed in India in sudorific and depurative infusions, and is 

 reputed to cure elephantiasis. The seeds of Heritiera are bitter and 

 tonic, and are used in dyeing. Helicteres corylifolia Wight has a 

 bitter and stomachic root. In short, all the preceding species seem 

 to act as antiphlogistics by their emollient principle, or as astrin- 

 gents by the tannin which they contain. The properties of certain 

 Bombaceae cannot be so described. Thus the bark of the American 

 species of Bombaa? and of some Asiatic species of the same genus, 

 called JSalmalia, 3 are emetic. The flowers of B. malabaricum 

 DC. secrete a nectar which is purgative and diuretic. The bark 

 of Eriodendron anfractuosum DC. is said to be an emetic, 4 as is 

 also that of the root of Ochroma Lay opus. There are in different 

 parts of the world more than a hundred and fifty Malvaceae em- 

 ployed as drugs. 5 



We have spoken of their textile properties. Their liber is often 

 tenacious, flexible, formed of separable layers, like that of the 

 Tiliaceae ; consequently it is possible by maceration to separate from 

 it thread-like substances, pretty generally employed in certain 

 countries. But the frequent anastomoses which may be observed 

 in the same layer of liber between the adjacent bundles, cause 

 the bundles to be rarely separable from each other, and hinder 

 these different Malvaceae from being generally used in the manu- 

 factures. It has, however, been recommended to cultivate extensively 

 in the marshes of Southern Europe Hibiscus roseus, 6 as H. cannabinus 

 L. and verrucosus L. are cultivated in India on account of their 

 textile liber. It would yield an abundant thread-like substance, 

 although of inferior quality. Cords, coarse thread, bands, fish- 

 nets, and even paper are made from many of the Rose Mallows in 



1 ilelhania Erythroxylon Ait., Sort. Kew., 4 Although most of its parts are emollient 

 ed. 2, iv. 146. — DC, Prodr., i. 499, n. 2. — and mucilaginous. 



Bomheya Erythroxylon Hook., in JBot. Mag.,t. s See Lindl., Fl. Med. 135-144; Veg. 



1000. " Kingd., 361, 364, 369.— Ende., Enchirid., 512, 



2 Especially of the B. Ceiba L., Spec, 959. — 517, 520. — Eosenth., op. cit., 705, 716. 



B. quinatum Jacq., Amer., 129, t. 176, fig. 1. 6 Thok., in Loisel. Fl, Gall,, ii. 434. — DC., 



The B. ciimauense H. 13. K. and septenatum Jacq. Prodr., i. 450, n. 53. 



3 Especially the S. Wightli Endl., whose 

 fruit is also edible. 



