RHAMNAGE.E. 73 



China,! bears alimentary fruit, but it does not reach this country ; 

 and, besides, though edible, it is much less sweet and agreeable to 

 the taste than our true jujubes. They are to the Indians what the 

 drupes of Z. Lotiis^' the Sada of the Africans, and, according to 

 Desfontaines, the tree Lotus of the ancients, are to the lotus-eating 

 tribes of Lybia. In Egypt and Arabia the fruit of Z. Spina Christi ^ 

 is eaten ; in Senegambia those of Z. mucronata^^ and Z, orthacantha ^ ; in 

 India those of Z. napeca^^ 'Nitida^ and CEnoplia ; ^ in Cochin China 

 that of Z. agrestis ^, and that of Z. mauritiana ^° in Mauritius. The 

 fruit of the Indian Z. Xylopyrus ^^ is insipid and not agreeable. That 

 of Z. Joazeiro^^ is but little appreciated in Brazil, although the 

 shepherds refresh themselves with it in very hot weather ; its leaves 

 are prized by small cattle ; its bitter and astringent bark is a cure for 

 ague. In the Philippine islands Z, exserta ^^ is used for the treat- 

 ment of skin diseases and syphilis. Z. Sororia i* is also recommended 

 for the same affections in India. Z. soporifera^ ^^ of northern 

 China, owes its name to the fact that the decoction of its kernels 

 calms grief and procures refreshing sleep to invalids. Some species 

 of Zizyphus have, besides, oleaginous, acrid, and purgative seeds, as 

 Z. CEnoplia^ Napeca^ and perhaps some others. The indigenous 

 Rhamnacece rarely have a wood of good quality. That of the 

 Privet is sometimes employed by toy and cabinet-makers ; it is 

 especially used to heat ovens, as also that of R, catharticus^ of the 

 branches of which canes imitating those of the Hawthorn are made. 

 The Mongols cut idols of small size from the wood of R. lycioides. 



1 Z. chinensis Lamk. {Diet. iii. 318) is doubt- 7 Eoxb. ex Rosenth. op. cit. 801. 



less, like many of the following species, a var, ^ Mill. Diet. n. 3. — DC. Prodi-, n. 18. — 



of Z. vulgaris. Rhamniis CEnoplia L. Spec. 282. (See Burm. 



a Lamk. Diet. iii. 316.— DC. Prodr. n. 3.— Thes. Zeijl. t. 61). 



Ad. Br. i2 /?«/««. 40. — Rhamnus Lotus li. Spee. ^ Schult. Syst. v. 341. — Rhamnus agrestis 



281.— Desf. Act. Acad. Par. (1788), t. 21 {Juju- Lour. Fl. Cochinch. (ed. 1790), 158 {Caij-na). 



bier of the Lotophagi). lo Lamk. Diet, iii. 319. — DC. Prodr. n. 27. 



3 W. Spec. 1105.— DC. Prodr. n. 6.— Desf, " W. Spec. ii. 11 (not 'S.ocn^'s) .—Rhamnus 



Fl. Atl. i. 201.— Hemsl. Oliv. Fl. Prop. Afr. i, Xylopyrm Retz. Ohs. ii. 11. 



380. 12 Mart. Reis. ii. 581. — Reiss. Mart. Fl. 



■* W. Fnum. 251. — Harv. and Sond. Fl. Cap. Bras. Rhamn. 86, t. 24, 27. 



i. 475.—^. Baelei DC. Prodr. n. 8.— Guill. et i^ dc. Prodr. n. 29.—^. trinervis Poir. Diet. 



Perr. fl Sen. Tent. i. 144, t. 37. — Z. mitis Suppl. iii. 192. — Rhamnus trivernis Cav. Icon. 



A. Rich. Fl. Abyss. Tent. i. 137. t. 505, fig. 1 (not Roth). 



5 DC. Prodr. n. 20. Guill. et Perr. Fl. Sen. i4 Schult. Syst. v. 337.— DC. Prodr. n. 22.— 

 Tent. i. 145. — Perhaps a var. of Z. Jujuba Z. trinervius a Roth (perhaps a var. of Z. 

 Lamk. Jujuba). 



6 W. Spec. Plant. 1104,— DC. Prodr. n. 7.— ^5 Schult. loe. cit. Z^O.— Rhamnus soporifer 

 Rhamnus Napeca L. Spec. 282. (not Forsk.). Lour. Fl. Cochinch. 158 {Soan-tauo), 



