60 NATURAL HISTORY UF PLANTS. 



laxative, combustible oil used constantly in the arts in painting, in 

 the preparation of the colours, varnish, printer's ink, etc. The 

 abundant miicilage obtained by the contact of their outer coats with 

 water is also much iised medicinally, both externally and internally.'- 

 The pm-gative Flax," a species common in damp meadows, owes its 

 name to its évacuant properties. Its leaves have a slightly salt 

 aad bitter taste. It was much used formerly, especially for obstinate 

 rheumatism, but is not much regarded now. In Chili, Liniim 

 a§'w7?k?/w ^ is used as a cooling febrifuge. In Fevu, L. selaffinoidcs'^ 

 is considered aperient, bitter, stomachic. The Flaxes are much 

 cultivated in our gardens and green-houses for their pretty red, 

 yellow, white, or blue flowers, especially X. (/randijlorum, pcrenne, 

 trigynum, and many others. The Hugonias seem to have very 

 different properties. In India, the root of H. Mystax ^ is crushed and 

 employed externally in cases of inflammation, csjjecially those caused 

 by venomous snake bites. The bark is also alexipharmic. Inter- 

 nally, the whole plant is prescribed as a vermifuge, diuretic, and 

 sudorific, tonic, and stimulating. The root has the odour of violets. 

 H. serrata'^ (fig. 77-79) is considered as a tonic and sudorific in the 

 Mascareigne Islands. The Houmiri are also stimulating plants, on 

 account of the resinous balsamic juice contained in several of them. 

 AiJBLET compares that which is obtained in Guiana from H. halsami- 

 fenini^ , and which bears the name of Houmiri and Toiiri^ to the balm 

 of Peru, on account of its qualities. The Caribees use it in the 

 treatment of tape-worm, and for blennorrhtea. They prepare lini- 

 ments from it which are applied to inflamed or painful joints. In 

 Peru H. floriliindum ® enjoys a similar reputation ; its juice or lalsamo 



1 The seeds of L. pereiinc also yield oil, and it '' Lamk. Diet. iii. 525. — DC. Prodr. n. 9. — A. 

 can also be extracted it is said from those of i. S. H. Fl. Bras. Mer. i. 131. — Limbl. Fl. Med. 

 calhartùum. 129. 



2 L. Spee. 401. — Schkuhr, Handb. i. t. 87. — ■'' L. Spec. 944. — Eheed. Hort. Malab. u. 29, t. 

 Blackw. Herb. t. 368.— DC. Frodi: n. 46.— 29.— DC. Prodr. i. 522, n. 1.— Endl. EncMrid. 

 LiNDL. Fl. Med. 129.— Endl. Eiieldrid. 623.— 529.— Lindl. Veff. Kingd. 489.— Rosenth. op. 

 Camer. Bir/a Bot. (Tub. 1712).— Slev. Pe Lino cit. 736. 



Si/lv. Cath. Angl. (Jena, 1716).— MoK. i3e i(«» «Lamk. Pict. iii. 149.— DC. Prodr. n. 2.— 



Calh. vi Piirgat. (Dorp. 1835).— Pagenbt. ITeb. H. Mi/sta.r Cav. Piss. iii. 177, t. 73, fig. 1 



Lin. Oath. (MUneh. 1845). — Eo.sENTn. op. cit. (nee L.) 



893.— Caz. lac. cit. b'àZ.—CathartoHiiimipralcnse ^ Auel. Oiiian. i. 564, t. 225.— DC. Prodr. i. 



Reichh. 619. — Lindl. Fl. Med. 159. — Myrodendro>i am- 



3 MoLiN. Chil. 126.— DC. Prodr. n. 13.— plexicaiile W. Spec. ii. 1171. 



Feuill. 2'er. iii. 32, t. 22, fig. 2.— Rosenth. *■ Mart. Nov. Got. el Spec. ii. 146, t. 199.— 



op. eit. 894.— i. C'hfimissoitis Sckibve {Tanffo of Lindl. Fl. Med. 159; Vcff. Kiiigd. 447. — Belle- 



the Chilians). ria Jloribunda Mart, (ex Rosenth, op. cit.). 



