102 HAGENIA ABYSSINICA 



we have examined (collected by Euppell) appear to be not fully 

 matured. 



Habitat. This remarkable tree is confined to Abyssinia, where 

 it appears to be not uncommon in the higher mountainous districts, 

 flowering in October December ; it is also commonly planted 

 near towns and villages throughout the country, and is said to be 

 very ornamental. We are not aware that any attempt has been 

 made to cultivate the Kousso in this country. 



In accordance with the universally recognised rules of botanical 

 nomenclature, we have adopted in the text the oldest available 

 published name ; Banksia had been already given by the younger 

 Linnseus, in 1781, to a New Holland genus of Proteacets. 



DC. Prod., ii, p. 588; A. Richard, Tent. Fl. Abyss., i, p. 258; 

 Hook., Kew Journ. Bot., 1850, p. 349; Oliver, M. Trop. Africa, 

 ii, p. 380; Lindl., FL Med., p. 230. 



Official Parts and Names. Cusso ; the flowers and tops of 

 Brayera anthelmintica, D. C. (B. P.). The dried flowers and tops 

 (Cusso j Kousso) (I. P.). BEAYEEA; the flowers and unripe fruit 

 of Brayera anthelmintica (U. S. P. Secondary.) 



Collection and Commerce. Kousso is gathered for use in medi- 

 cine before the seeds are quite ripe. The female flowers are 

 chiefly collected, although not exclusively so; and then sus- 

 pended in the sun to dry. Kousso is brought from Abyssinia, 

 packed in boxes, and reaches England by way of Aden or 

 Bombay. 



General Characters and Composition. Kousso, Koosso, Kosso, 

 or Koso, by which names as well as some others this substance 

 is known in commerce, occurs in compressed, unbroken or more or 

 less broken, panicles of flowers ; or in somewhat cylindrical rolls, 

 with the parts kept together by transverse bands; or sometimes 

 the flowers are found in a separated state. The bunches and rolls 

 vary in length from 10 inches to a foot, or are sometimes 

 even a foot and a half or more. Commercial kousso has 

 a brownish or greenish-brown colour, with a reddish tinge 



