170 NATURAL HISTDTÎY OF PLANTS. 



principles whieh mako them tannie, tinetorial, tonie, and stnmacliic 

 plants, is another proof of the little nniformity of properties which 

 may be observed in a group otherwise perfectly natural. Species of 

 Phijllanthiis are yery often tonic and astringent, for example, P. 

 N/'nin, squamifolius Spreng., returns Dennst, oUongifolms , Dennst, 

 Bischoffia javaiiica ^ Bl., Myrabolnm emhlics ; " many Indian Amanoa of 

 the section BrideKa^^^\i.o&G bark, rich in tannin, is employed ; Securinega 

 Leuropijnis, Ercoecarin gw'nnensifi* (fig. 307-209) of ti'opical America, 

 and especially an allied species E. Hilariaiia.^ used for tanning skins ; 

 AlcJtornealuHfnlia^\\-om the Antilles, em jiloyed in diseases of the diges- 

 tive organs and falsely considered to produce Alcornoque bark ;^ many 

 species of Mabea ^ from Brazil, having a bitter, astringent, febrifuge 

 bark; Trewia nudiflora^^ Wxahaxk of whose roots is prescribed in Mala- 

 bar for gout and rheumatic affections ; Echiims p//ilippùiensis,^'^ whose 

 roots and fruit serve for the topical treatment of contusions, pains, 

 etc.; the Asiatic Macaranga^^^ of the section 3Iappn, rich in tannin 

 and used for the preparation of leather; and finally Acalypliahisinda^'^'^ 

 whose flowers are considered in India as a specific for diarrhœa. 

 The bitterness and astringency are combined with a large proportion 

 of aromatic, stimulant, febrifuge principles in species of Ca^carilla^'^ 

 whose botanical history has been so long covered with obscurity, all 

 the barks of American species of the genus Croton, species from the 



1 Bl. BIjdr. 11G8.— M. Akg. Prodr. 478.— s EspecisUy in Guiana, M. Piriri AvBh. and 

 Sti/hrliscii^ trifolifilusBEKN. PI. Jav. linr. 133, t. Tcifpitiii ArBL. commonly called Pipe wood and 

 29. — Microelus Jtceperiaiiii.'i Wight. — Andrnchiie Calraut wood, because these plants (which j-ield 

 trifoliata Roxn. a little caoutchouc) have hollow branches used 



2 See p. 164, note 5. to make pipe stems; and in Brazil, M. Jiafuli- 

 ' Particularly Li. spinosa W. and xmndeii.i'W. fera Mart, lieii. et in Litnitea (1830), 39. — M. 



(RosE.NTH. op. cit. 838). A. cMiiia H. Bn. feniif/iiia Benth. (C'aimdo dc Pitu), used for the 



{Euphorb. 582 ; — Cluijtia collinu RoxTi. PI. Corom. treatment of fevers and stomach complaints. 



ii. 37, t. 69; — Lebidieropsis oi-biailarii M. Aug. ' L. Spec. ed. 3, App. IGGl. — M. Ah8. Prodi: 



Prodr. 509), has fruits whose pericarp is pre- 953. — 1'. macrophylla Roth. — Tetragnstris ossea 



scribed for several aiFections of the digestive G.i;nTN. Friict. ii. 130, t. 109. — Rottlera Kope- 



organs ; more than a small dose is said to bo riaiin "Ri,. — C'a/i.ic/ii. Rheed. Mort. Malnb.i. 76, 



very poisonous. t. 42. 



* Mnproiiiicn ffuianeiisix Aubl. Guinn. ii. 895, '" See p. 164, note 8. 



t. 342. — .TSgoprkuiii betuUinim L. EiL. Suppl. " Principally M. Tauariua (M. Arc. Prodr. 



il3.—Sti/li iff ffiiiaiieiisis 11. Bs. £iiphorl.52i 997, n. 25;— Mappa taimrivs Bl. Bijdr. 624; 



Mapronincr of Guiana). The root is used — JIf. tomeiitosa'BL.;—M. mo/iwcaiia Bevittî. ; — 



for the treatment of diseases of the .stomach. M. glabra A. Juss. ; — Ricinns Tuiiarius L. ; — 



Tlie leaves, tannic, dye black. Croton lacclferus Blanco, neo L.). 



' Stilliiiijia miariana H. Bn. in Adaiisonia, v. '2 Burm. Fl. Ind. 303, t. 61, fig. 1 (nee W.). 



332. — Maprowica brasiliciisis A. S. H. P!. Vs. — M. Arg. Prodr. 815, n. 38. — Giliiriis spici- 



Bras. t. 65.— M. Aug. Prodr. 1191. funis Roxb. Fl. h.d. m. 760. 



« Sw. Prodr. 98.— Heyn. ^)'2«. Qew. 10, t. 42. " Guib. op. cit. ii. 361.— II. Bn. in Diet. 



— M. Arg. Prodr. 908. Eiicijcl. Sc. Méd. xii. 756. 



' See Uist. Plants, ii. 379, note 7. 



