GEXERAL POISOXOUS PLANTS 579 



Antiaris toxicaria; Upas Tree. (Urticaceac) The celebrated poisonous tree of 

 Java, at one time supposed to give off poisonous fumes fatal to animal life. 

 The milky latex contains a virulent poison. 



Physostigma veneno^um. (Lcgiiniiiiosac). A large twining climber whose large 

 oval dark-brown seeds are the famous ordeal-beans of Old Calabar. 



Ccrbcra Tanghin ( Apocynaccac). A small tree with a milky juice, whose fruits 

 are the ordeal poison of Madagascar. 



GENERAL POISONOUS PLANTS 



Acokanthera spectabilis. Arrow-poison. (Apocynaccac). Root and wood used 



by Natives in Africa for poisoning arrows. 

 Alyxia zcylanica. " Walkaduru " or " Wasakaduru," S. (Apocynaceac). A 



shrub found in semi-dry regions; the milky juice is poisonous. 

 Cerbera Odalam. " Gonkaduru," S. (Apocynaccac). A small tree with acrid 



milky juice and white scented flowers; common in low-country, chiefly 



near the sea. The seeds are an irritant poison. 

 Datura fastuosa. ' Attana " S. (Solanaceae). Small shrub, with large leaves and 



large white or purple trumpet-shaped flowers; fruit round, with numerous 



prickles, poisonous. 

 Datura suaveolens. Trumpet flower; " Rata-attana." S. (Solanaceae). A shrub 



with large white or purple flowers, native of Mexico. The round green 



prickly fruits are a well-known poison. 



Dieffenbachia, many spp. & varieties (Aroidcac). Herbaceous branchless succu- 

 lent plants, bearing a crown of large variegated leaves, commonly cultivated 



for ornament. The juice is highly acrid and poisonous; the slightest 



contact of a portion of it with the tongue will cause the latter to swell. 



making speech almost impossible for some time. 

 Euphorbia antiquorum. " Daluk." S. \Enpliorbiaccac). A spreading leafless tree. 



15-30 ft. high, found in rocky places in the low-country; branches 



3-winged. very spiny. The acrid milky juice is poisonous. 

 Euphorbia tortilis. "Sinuk"S. (Eiipltorhiaccac). A small leafless tree, found 



in similar places to Daluk; milky juice acrid and poisonous. 

 Excaecaria Agallocha. " Tala-kiriya," S. Blinding Tree. (Etiphorbiaceae). Small 



tree with extremely acrid milky juice, common on the coast of Ceylon 



and other Eastern countries. 

 Girardinia heterophylla. Elephant or Nilgiri Nettle; "Gas-kahambiliya," S. 



(Urticaceac). A tall herb, covered with stinging poisonous hairs; found 



in forests of montane zone. 

 Gloriosa superba. " Xiyangala." S. " Ventonti," S. (Liliticcac). A herbaceous 



climber with whorled leaves whose tips end in a spiral tendril; the large 



fleshy tubers are poisonous. 

 Hydnocarpus venenata. " Makulu." S. (Bi.\accac). A medium-sized tree with 



smooth bark, common in low-country; fruits poisonous, used for poison- 

 ing fish. 

 Isotoma longiflora. (L'ainpannlacfac). An annual weed with white flowers, 



introduced from Jamaica; has an acrid poisonous milky juice, which has 



been considered to be the cause of deaths amongst ponies on the Delft 



Island, North of Ceylon. 



