ULMACE^. 



181 



the true Contrayerva would prove to be the species of Dorstenia to 

 which he had applied this specific name ; ^ but this is Mexican, and 

 the true G, of commerce, or Caa-apia of Marcgraff and of Pison,^ is 

 a Brazilian species, either D, Cmjapia^ or D, multiformis * (fig. 1 OS- 

 Ill), which has exactly the same properties. Z). tuhicina^ and D, 

 Faria^ are also employed as alexipharmics in the same region. 

 They are reputed as anti-dysenteries. Their rhizomes are aromatic, 

 tonic, and astringent. The same is true of certain African species, 

 such as D, radiata!^ used in Abyssinia in the treatment of cutaneous 

 affections. The most active of the American Contrayervas is pro- 

 bably Z>. hrasiliensis^ (fig. 112), the mixed inflorescence of which is 

 in the form of a circular disk, and its reddish stock has a feeble 

 aromatic odour and a taste finally very acrid. It is stimulant and 

 provokes perspiration ; which doubtless explains the alexipharmic 

 properties attributed to it, now quite forgotten. Like Dorstenia, 

 Streblus, belonging to the Morece series, has been used in medicine 

 in its native country, tropical Asia.^ Many parts of the Mulberries 

 are also useful. The black Mulberry,^^ a tree probably of Asiatic 



^ D. Contrajerva L. Spec. ed. 3, i. 176. — jAca. 

 le. Ear. iii. 18, t. 614; Ooll. iii. 200.— Bur. 

 Prodr. xvii. 259. — D. Contrayerva Mill. Bid. 

 loc. c'U. n. 1. — Descourt. FL Med. Ant. iii. 256, 

 t. 207.— LiNDL. FL Med. 300.— J). Houstoni 

 LoDD. Bot. Cab. 1. 1005 (not L.).— Z). Sphor.dylii 

 folio, DentaricB radice Plum. JVov. Gen. Amer. 

 29, t. 8; PI. Amer. (ed. Burm.), t. 119. The 

 D. Brakena L. [Spec. ed. 4, 176; — D. mexicana 

 Benth. pi. Eartweg. n. 386) is also employed 

 like Contrayerva. 



2 Bras. ed. 1, 52, 90, c.ic. ; ed. 2, 232, 311, 

 c. ic. 



3 Velloz. Fl. Flum. i. t. 137.— Bub. Prodr. 

 n. 5. — D. BryonicefoUa Mart. Mat. Med. Bras. 

 106.— MiQ. Mart. FL Bras. Urtic. 167.— B. 

 palmata Pohl. — B. vitifuUa Field, et Gardn. 

 — I), morifolia FiscH. {Garapia). 



•» MiQ. Mart. FL Bras. Urtic. 165, t. 67-59. 

 — D. arifolia Lamk. Bict. ii. 317; IlLt. 83, 

 fig. 2.-2). Cyperus Velloz. FL Flum. t. 140.— 

 B. Mandioccana Fisch. — B. pinnatifida Miq. — 

 B.fluminensis Wai,f. — B. Ceratosanthes Lodd. 

 Bot. Cab. t. 1216.— Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 2760.— 

 Sychinium ramosum Desvx. Ann. Soc. Linn. Par. 

 iv. 217, t. 12. 



5 R. et Pav. Fl. Per. i. 65, t. 102, fig. b.— 

 Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 2804.— i>. infundibuliformis 



Lodd. (Tusilla in Venezuela). 



^ Paiv. ex Spreng. Syst. iii. 777. — Miq. 

 Mart. FL Bras. Urtic. 168. 



7 Lamk. BicL ii. 318. — Bur. Prodr. n. 58. — 

 Kosaria Forskhalii Gmel. {Kosar of the Abys- 

 sinians). — B. chinensis Lour., a stimulant aro- 

 matic plant is not, it is thought, of this family 

 (Bur.). 



5 Lamk. Bict. ii. 317. — Bur. Prodr. n. 6. — 

 loe. cit. 315. — Lindl. FL Med. 300. — Mart. FL 

 Bras. TJrtie. 215, — B. plaeentoidts Commers. — 

 D. tomentosa Fisch. — B. montevidensis Gardn. 

 These plants contain a bitter principle and a 

 warm diuretic and diaphoretic essence (Mart.). 



'^ S. asper Lour. (p. 195, note 5) is recom- 

 mended W Java for epilepsy, rheumatic aflFec- 

 tions, gout, and after childbirth (Amplas, 

 SaJchotuka, Barinka). S. macrophyllus Bl. 

 {Biplocos? macrophylla Bur. Prodr. xvii. 216) 

 it used to make pestles for pounding rice (Tam- 

 boin of the Javans). 



^° Morus Nigra li.Spec. 1398. — Bvuam. Arbr, 

 fruit, ii. 42, t. 8 ; Arbr. (ed. 2), iv. 90, t. 22.— 

 Ser. Mur. 220, t. 6, fig. 1, t. 19.— Bur. Prodr. 

 xvii. 238, n. 1.— Lindl. FL Med. 300.— Guib. 

 loc. ciL 322, fig. 438.— Gren. et Godr. FL de 

 Fr. iii. 103.— Oaz. PL Med. Lid. ed. 3, 671.— 

 Flueck. et Hanb, Pharmacogr, 489. 



