120 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



the same properties, but is less used among us, except in rural 

 districts. In Germany, the bark of the stems and of the roots is 

 used as a vesicant. The taste, at first sweetish, speedily becomes 

 extremely acrid. It produces vomiting, active purgation and 

 inflammation of the urinary passages. Bois-gentil has been em- 

 ployed in the treatment of chronic cutaneous affections, paralysis 

 of the organs of deglutition, and locally against dental decay. The 

 workmen who pulverise this bark and that of Garou find much 

 difficulty in protecting their eyes and respiratory passages from 

 the penetration of this irritant powder. Persons who have taken this 

 bark internally are often affected by a perspiration in the head and 

 neck, after which remains a burning sensation in the throat. Laureola^ 

 and Daphne collina^ alpina^ pontica^ altaica^ Cneorum^ oleoides!^ 

 Bholua,^ have, in various degrees, similar properties. The same is 

 said of Dirca palustris ^ (fig. 79-80), employed as a purgative by 

 the North Americans, of Lagetta lintearia^ of Wikstroemia indica^^ 

 of Daphnopsis Swartzii^^ and tinifolia^^'^ of Thymelcea Tartonraira^^ 

 and of many species of Gnidia}^ The action of the fruits and seeds 



* B. Laureola L. Spec. 356. — Blackw. Herb. 

 t. 62.— Jacq. Fl. Austr. ii. 49, t. 183.— Mer. et 

 Del. Bict. Mat. M6d. ii. 584.— Hatne, Arz. 

 Gew. iii. t. 44. — Guib. op. cit. ii. 386. — Gren. 

 et GoDR. Fl. de Fr. iii. 57.— Caz. Fl. Med. Ind. 

 ed. 3, 366.— Rev. in Fl, Mid. du XIXe Si^de, i. 

 449. — RoSENTH. op. cit. 240. — D. major Lamk. 

 FL Fr. iii. 221.— Thymelcea Laureola Scov. Fl. 

 Carniol. i. 276 (Laurier-Epurge, L. des Bois, 

 Auriole, Laureole Male). 



2 Sm. Spicil. ii. t. 18. — Meissn. Frodr. xiv. 

 535, n. \5.—Bot. Mag. t. 428. 



* L. Spec. 356.— Z>. Candida Wittm.— T/iy- 

 melcBa Candida Scop. Fl. Cam. ed. 2, i. 277. 



^ L. Spec. 357.— Andr. Bot. Repos. t. 73.— 

 Bat. Mag. t. 1282. We are assured that the 

 poisonous honey of Asia Minor is collected 

 partly from this plant. 



* Pall. Fl. Boss. i. 53, t. 35.— Lodd. Bot. 

 Cab. t. 399.— jBo^ Mag. t. 1875. 



« L. Spec. 357.— Jacq. Fl. Austr. v. 12, t. 

 426.— Curt, in Bot. Mag. t. 313.— Bull. Serb. 

 t. 121.— Mer. et Del. lac. cit. 5S0.—B. odo- 

 rata Lamk. Fl. Fr. iii. 222.— i). Verloti Gren. 

 et GoDR. Fl. de Fr. iii. 59 {B. Fausse-Chamilee). 



7 ScHREB. Bee. i. 13, t. 7. — B. caucasica Bieb ? 

 — D. Jasminea Sibth. et Sm. Fl. Groec. t. 358. 



' Don, Frodr. Fl. Nepal. 68 {Bholu Swa). 

 D. Genkwa (Sieb. et Zucc. Fl. Jap. i. 137, t. 

 75) is also used for blistering in Japan; the 

 bark is used. The flowers are administered 



internally as febrifuge, hydragogue and ver- 

 micide. 



8 See p. 130, note 9. Bigel. Med. Bot. ii. t. 

 37. — LiNDL. Fl. Med. 325. — Rosenth. op. cit. 

 240 {Bois de cuir, B. deplomb). 



^" C. A. Mey. Bull. Fetersb. iv. n. 4.— 

 Meissn. Prodr. 543, n. 1. — W. Forsteri Done. 

 in Jacqtiem. Voy. Bot. 146. — W. nutans Benth. 

 Hook. Journ. (1853), 195. — Baphne indica L. 

 Spec. 511.— B. foctida L. p. Suppl. 223.— Forst. 

 Frodr. n. 168. — Capura Furpurata L. Mantiss. 

 225 {Goo, Oao, Avan-o-ao in the Sandwich Isles). 



^^ Meissn. Prodr. 522, n. 9. — Baphne occi' 

 dentalis Sw. Frodr. 63. 



^2 Meissn. Frodr. n. 14. — Baphne tinifoUa 

 Sw. Prodr. 63. — Nordmannia tinifolia Fisch. 

 et Mey. {Mahot). 



13 All. Fl. Fedem. i. 133.— Meissn. Prodr. 

 556, n. 16. — Baphne Tartonraira L. Spec. 356. 

 —DC. Fl. Fr. iii. 357.— Mer. et Del. Bict. 

 Mat. Med. ii. 687. — B. Candicans Lamk. — 

 Fasserina Tartonraira Schrad. N. Jomti. iv. p. 

 i. 89.— Gren et Godr. Fl. de Fr. i. 63.— 

 Chlamydanthus Tartonraira C. A. Mey. — Sana^ 

 munda argentea latifolia angusti folia Barrel 

 {Trintanelle, T. Malherbe, Gros-Retombet). 



1'* Notably G. pinifolia L. simplex L. and 

 imberbis Dryand. species from the Cape. G. 

 odori/cra LouR. from Cochin China, yields a 

 kind of tar which serres to calk ships. 



