194 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Diplotcenia cachrydifolia ^ supplies fodder for horses. Acipkijlla 

 glacialis ^ is utilized in Australia as an alimentary root. At the Cape 

 Anesorhiza capensis ^ is a potherb.* Several species of Biipleurum are 

 useful : B , falcatiim ^ (lig. 131), formerly employed in the treatment 

 of fevers and wounds ; B. fruticoswriy^ esteemed by the Greeks as 

 emmenagogic, diuretic, anticatarrhal ; B. aristatum,'^ extolled in the 

 Tyrol as odontalgic; B, rotundifolium ^ (fig. 132) and protractuiriy^ 

 employed against wounds, tumours and scrofulous affections. The 

 young shoots are said to be edible. Along most of our coast the 

 stems and leaves of Crithmum jnaritimum^^ (fig. 109, 110) are eaten 

 as pickles, and are reputed aromatic, depurative and diuretic.^ ^ 



What may be termed the abnormal TJmbellifevce, that is, those of 

 the series Hydrocotylece and AraUece, include relatively but a small 

 number of useful plants. Our common Pennywort ^^ (fig. 157) has 

 been reputed resolutive, detersive and vulnerary ; it is scarcely used. 

 But Hydrocotyle asiatica ^^ (fig. 158-161) has for some years formed 

 the subject of numerous publications as a sovereign remedy for 

 inveterate affections of the skin, even of those of a syphilitic nature. 

 The Indians also extol it as diuretic. With them it is a potherb. 

 H. honariensis ^* and iJ. wnhellaia ^^ are employed in South America, 

 the former in cutaneous eruptions, the latter in liver and renal mala- 



1 Bois3. Fl. Or. ii. 981. gent, vulnerary, and B. petiolare DC. as astrin- 



2 Benth. Fl. Austral, iii. 3*^5, n. 2.— Gingidimn gent and febrifuge. 



glaciale F. Muell. Trans. Phil. lust. Vict. i. i° L. Spec. 354.— Jacq. Hort. Vindob. t. 187. 



104. A. latifolia and antipodal of the antarctic — Sow. Engl. Bot. t. 819. — DC. Prodr. iv. 164. — 



regions are no longer numbered among econo- Mer. et Del. Diet. ii. 466. — Gren. et Godr. Fl. 



mic plants in our country. de Fr. i. 700. — Caz, Pi. Med. Indig. (ed. 3) 356. 



3 Cham, et Schlchtl, Linnaa, i. 398. — Harv. ^^ Some species of Fchinophora are mentioned 

 and SoND. Fl. Cap. ii. 545. Capnophyllum pere- as useful : F. trichophylla L. as tonic depurative 

 grinum {Krubera leptophylla Hoffm.) has an and healing serpent bites ; E. spinosa has an 

 aromatic edible root. edible root said to be similar to that of the 



* Vlachte Anyswortel of the planters. Parsnip. 



^\i. Spec. ZM {Hare's Ear). ^'^Hydrocotyle vulgaris la. Spec. 338. — DC. 



* L. Spec. 344.— Gren. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. i. Prodr. iv. 59, n. 2.— Gren. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. 

 725. — Tenoria fruticosa Spreng. i 751. — Kosenth. op. cit. 524. 



7 Earth. Reichb. Icon. ii. 70, t. 178.—^. diva. i3 l. Spec. 234.— DC Prodr. n. 26.— Glib. loc. 

 ricatum1jKUY..Fl.Fr.m..4i\Q. — Odontites luteola cit. 217. — Fluck. et Hanb. Pharmacogr. 264 

 Spreng. ScK Syst. vi. 380. {Codagam, Kutakan). Its active principle is 



8 L. Spec. 340. — DC. Prodr. n. 17. — Hayn. Cdlledivellnrine. H.rotundi/olia'Roxji. of India, 

 Arz". Gew. vii. t. 1. is sometimes substituted for it. 



9 Link, Ft. Portug. ii. n. 387. — B. subovatum ** Lamk. Bid. iii. 147. — DC. Prodr. n. 7. 

 Spreng. — Diaphyllum triradiatum Hoffm. B. ^» L. Spec. 234.— DC. Prodr. n. 6. — H. umbel- 

 perfoliatum Lamk. is also employed as astrin- lulata Puksh. 



