Liist of the Plants of Chile. 261 



H. B. and Kiinth. is frequent in olitorles, on mud-walls, in cool and 

 shady situations. In fine, I have found two other species which I 

 believe to be new. One on the edges of roads and level plains ; the 

 other in the woods of Punta de Cortes. I have called the first O. 

 gyrorhiza, fronn the direction of its root ; and the second O. mi- 

 crantha, fronfi its very small and frequently apetalous flowers. There 

 are many others which I have not had time to examine minutely. 

 All the vinogrillos possess more or less the same acid property. 



Oxyhaphus viscosus. Herit. Among the stones on the margin of 

 brooks, on the plain in the neighborhood of Quinta. Though close- 

 ly resembling it, I think this plant should be separated from that de- 

 scribed by L'Heritier, which is originally from Peru. 



Papaver somniferum. L. Vulgarly Amapola—Adormidera. Cul- 

 tivated in gardens. The flowers are commonly double, large, vari- 

 ously colored and have a rich appearance. The capsule is very use- 

 ful in medicine ; its decoction is employed either as a fomentation or 

 enema in colics and in nervous diseases. Opium, a heroic remedy 

 so much used throughout Asia, is obtained from the juice of this 

 species, by incision and exudation from its capsule. The P. Rhceas, 

 L., is scarcely known in Chile. Its varieties with double flowers and 

 variously combined colors merit preference. Its juice possesses the 

 same properties, though in a less degree. The infusion of its petals 

 is said to be sudorific. 



Parmelia. Ach. There are a great many species here ; they 

 grow upon stones and on the bark of trees. All are known under 

 the name of calchacura. Some possess a gelatinous principle in 

 abundance, similar in properties to that of the Lichen Islandicus. The 

 most common are the following : P. aquila, atra, caperata, chrys- 

 ophthalma, cycloselis, murorum, parietina, saturnina, saxicola, stella- 

 ris, suhfusca, varia, Ach. and many others, two of which, in my 

 opinion, are new. I vi'ill call the first, P. Chilensis ; it resembles 

 the P. scopulorum, Ach. ; and I will name the second, P. discolor. 



Paronychia Chilensis. DC. On the dfy and stony plain of 

 Cachapual and San Fernando. P. ramosissima, DC. upon the 

 arid pastures of the highlands and mountains. It is known by the 

 name of dicha. It is a troublesome plant, when dry, from its nume- 

 rous thorns. It resembles the Polycnemum arvense, L. 



Paspalum. L. The plant called c^eptca is of this genus. It ap- 

 proaches, though it differs from the P. conjugatum, Bery. A ptisan 

 made of its roots is daily prescribed as a cooling specific in urinary 



