448 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



plants, often cultivated in the open air in gardens in the south of 

 Europe. L. indica ^ (fig. 405, 406) is the most remarkable for its 

 numerous varieties with pink or lilac flowers. L. Begince'^ is 

 scarcely less esteemed in India. It is also a medicinal plant. Its 

 roots are astringent and useful in the treatment of aphthaB. Purga- 

 tive, drastic, and hydrogoguic decoctions are prepared from its bark, 

 its leaves, and its flowers. The seeds are considered narcotic. 

 From the bark of L. hirsuta ^ are prepared dissolvent and resolutive 

 plasters applied to sores. Woodfordia floribunda, an Asiatic and 

 African species, is cultivated in our conservatories, where it thrives 

 well. In India a yellow dye is extracted from its flowers. The 

 most renowned of the Lythrariacece as a tinctorial plant is Laivsonia 

 inermis'^ (fig. 407-409), believed to be a native of the north-east of 

 Africa, and is cultivated in the east of Africa and all the west of 

 Asia. Its numerous leaves are said to have a strong odour,^ and 

 from its leaves is prepared the reddish-yellow colour with which 

 oriental ladies daub their hair, their eyelids, and especially the nails 

 of their hands and feet. It is also a medicine recommended for 

 wounds, icterus, ringworm, leprosy, aphthae ; ^ it is rarely cultivated 

 in our conservatories. Many Cupheas with brilliant flowers may be 

 seen in our gardens, cultivated in masses and in borders, and some 

 subshrubby American Nesceas. There are also some Salicarias 

 which are somewhat ornamental. In Brazil Physocalymma,'^ Biptu- 

 sodon, and Lafoensia, are remarkable for the beauty of their flowers, 

 and scarcely yield in this respect to Lagerstroemia in the old world. 



^ L. Spec. 784. — DC. Prodr. iii. 93, n. 1. — Belon says that the culture of this shrub in 



Curt. Bot. Mag. t. 405. — Sibi, Fakusinda Egypt, which is exported in quantity to Con- 



K^MPF. Amcen. Exot. 865. stantinople, is a source of great revenue to the 



2 RoxB. PI. Coromb. i. 46, t. 65. — DC. Prodr. pashas. The leaves are also used for dyeing 



n. 5.— RosENTH. op. cit. 913. — Adambea glabra skins and stuffs. In Egypt the slaves were not 



Lamk. Diet. i. 39. allowed to dye with Senne. Traces of it are 



^ W. Spec. iii. 1178. — DC. Prodr. n. 6. — found on the most ancient mummies. In Am- 



Adambea hirsuta Lamk. loc. cit. n. 2. boyna, Labillardiere ( Vog. i. 344) has seen 



"* L. Spec. 498. — Desf. Fl. Atl. i. 325. — Mer. this dye used, especially by the Chinese. Avi- 



et Del. Bict. Mat. Med. iv. 78. — Endl. Enchi- cexne compared the properties of Henne with 



rid. 144. — L.spinosaJt. — L.albaljKTsiLyi. Bict. iii. those of Dragon's Blood. Its roots alone are 



106. — Alcanna Rumph. Herb. Amboin. iv. t. 17 decidedly astringent. Berth ollet always be- 



{Eenna, Alhenna, Cyprus). lieved the plant did not contain tannin. 



5 " Penetrating, hircinous." ' P. florida Pohl furnishes the Rosewood of 



^ The juice and extract are employed inter- Brazil esteemed for superior cabinet work [Pdo 



nally and the leaves locally in the treatment of rasa, Sebasti&o d'Arruda). 

 cutaneous affections (Ainsl. Mat. Ind. ii. 190). 



