450 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
quently called Guaiacum, with tetragonal fruits ; it has often, in fact, 
four prominent cells (or three or five) in the fruit, while that of the 
other species is generally two-celled. It is found in the Antilles 
and Mexico; the wood is fawn-colour sprinkled with whitish punc- 
tures. It is much less used than that of G@. officinale ; we may say 
as much for the Gayacan of Caracas, a greenish, very acrid wood, 
furnished by G. arboreum, and the Gayacan of Chili, the hard, 
blackish wood, with pale-yellow sapwood of G. hygrometricum2 The 
herbaceous Zygophylleæ of our hemisphere are really little used. 
However, the Zygophyllum fabago' (figs. 497-502) is yet noticed as 
an anthelmintic and antisyphilitic drug. The bruised leaves give a 
strong odour, and the buds are sometimes substituted for those of 
the Caper-plant. The Arabs reduce the leaves of Z. simplex‘ to 
powder, and use it in preparing a decoction, which they apply 
to the eyes as a remedy for film and specks. ‘The plant is also ver- 
micidal; its fetid odour repels cattle. The powdered seeds of 
Z. coccineun are used by the Arabs in helminthic affections. 
At the Cape Z. sessilifolium® and spinosum’ are employed. Tribulus is 
said to be astringent. The roots, leaves, and fruit of 7° ferrestris® 
(figs. 511-513) are esteemed in the South as aperients and tonics. 
In the Antilles the root of 7! cisfoides’ is used in the same way. The 
leaves are applied in drawing abscesses. In India 7° /anuginosus” is 
also prescribed as diuretic, and in Cuba 7! maximus" for various 
cutaneous affections.  #agonia arabica” is used in the East in the 

6 L., Spec., 552. — Dit, Zith., t. 
fig. 142.—Burm., Afr., 4, t. 2, fig. 1. 
loc. cit, 547.—RosENvH., op. cit., 887 (vulg. 116, 
Bois Saint, B. de vie). ‘The specific difference 
between this species and the preceding, resting 
on the number of the pairs of folioles, and that of 
the shells of the fruit, are subject to variations, 
and have not perhaps a very great value, 
1 DC., Prodr., n. 5.—H. B. K., Nov. Gen. 
et Spec., vii. 11.—-GuiB., op. cit., 549.—Zygo- 
phyllum arboreum JAcg., Amer., 130, t. 83. 
? H. By., in Adansonia, x. 314.—Porlieria 
hygrometrica R. & Pav., Syst, 94. — DC. 
Prodr., i, 707,—Linvu., I, Med., 215.—-Guin., 
op. cit., 549 (vulg. Turucasa, Gaiae du Chili). 
This plant is celebrated for the way in which its 
leaves close in dark dull weather. ‘Folia 
aperta aut clausa serenitatem et tempestatem 
denuntiant.” (R. & Pay.) 
3 See p. 422, note 5. Linpt., Fl. Med., 213. 
—Rosenru., op, cil., 886. 
4 L., Mantiss., 68.—Z. portulacoides Forsx., 
y,-Arab., 88, t. 12. 
6 L., Spec., 551.—Suaw, Afr., f. 281, — 
Z. desertorum Forsx,, loc. cit., 87, t. 11. 
7 L., Mantiss., 380.—BUuRM., op. cit., 5, t. 
2, fig. 2. 
8 L., Spec., 554.—Lamx. Ill, t. 346. — 
ScHKUER., Handb., t. 115,—ROSENTH., op. cit., 
885 (vulg. Herse, Herbe terrestre, Saligot ter- 
restre, Croix de Malte, de chevalier). According 
to Mérar & Devens (Dict. Mat. Méd., i. 489), 
it is Atrivolvo of BELON. 
9 L., Spec., 544.—Jacg., Hort. Schenbr., t. 
103.—PLux., Almag., t. 67, fig. 4. — DC. 
Prodr., i. 703, n. 1. 
10 L., Spec., 553.—BURM. 
106.—DC., Prodr., n, 5. 
1 L., Spec., 553.—JAcQ., Ic. Rar., t. 462.— 
Lamx., ZU.,t. 346, fig. 2.—DC., Prodr., n. 6.— 
Rosenrx., op. cit., 885.—Kallstræmia maxima 
W. & Arn.—K. Tribulus MEISSN. 
2 L., Spec., 553.— DC, Prodr., i. 
n, 3.—F. mysorensis ROTH. 
Zeyl,, 265, t. 
704, 
