388 Scientific Intelligence. — JVatural History. 



2. On the different Genera and Species confounded with Cinchona. 

 (Bib. Univ. XLI. 144.) — M. De Candolle has published a short no- 

 tice on the different genera and species of bark, which have been con- 

 founded under the name of Cinchona ; the following are his conclu- 

 sions : 



1. It results from the enumeration made, that the forty six species of 

 trees or shrubs, until now more or less confounded in books, compose 

 eight distinct genera, namely, Cinchona, Buena, Remigia, Exostem- 

 ma, Pinkneya, Hymenodyctron, Luculia, Danais. 



2. What is known of the bark of these eight groups appears to in- 

 dicate a decided connexion between the external forms and the med- 

 ical virtues, and in particular, that although all these barks may be 

 usefully administered in intermitting fevers as bitter or astringent, it 

 appears that the barks of Cinchona only contain quinia, and that they 

 probably are those which only are endowed with anti-intermitting 

 properties. 



3. The yellow bark of medical men is produced from the Cincho- 

 na pubescens, and probably also in part from C. purpurea and Hum- 

 holdtiana. The orange bark from the C. lancifolia; the red bark 

 from the C. scrohiculata and the C. magnifolia; and the pale bark 

 of best quality from the C. condaminia, whilst that of inferior qual- 

 ity comes from a mixture of many species. 



4. The eight genera obtained by the dismemberment of the old 

 genus Cinchona, are sensibly in the relation of the geographical dis- 

 tribution of tliese vegetables, over the globe JLiicidia, and Hymen- 

 odyctron in the East Indies, Danais in the southern isles of Africa, 

 (Bourbon and France,) Pinkneya in Carolina and Georgia, Remigia 

 in Brazil, Buena and Cinchona in Peru and the Andes of Bogota. 

 The genus Exostemma is an exception to this regularity ; but it may 

 be observed that true Exostemma lives in the Antilles, Pseudostem- 

 ma in Brazil ; and the Brachyanthes are divided between America 

 and the Phillippine Islands, with this circumstance, that the species of 

 the Phillippines form perhaps a distinct genus. — Idem. 



3. Influence of Chemical Solutions on Plants. (Bull. Univ. XVII. 

 372.) — This subject has been taken up experimentally by M. Wieg- 

 mann, whose object was to ascertain the influence of chemical solu- 

 tions when applied to the roots of the plants, and taken in by absorp- 

 tion. His method was to put the liquid into vessels, into which were 

 also then immersed the pots in which the plants were growing, the 



