276 Botanical Magazine, 



No. XXXIX. for March, contains 

 2970 to 2975. — Cocculuspalmatus; Diee\;iaHexandria,andMenispermea2. 

 A medicinal plant, known as Columbo in the materia medica, the natural his- 

 tory of which has hitherto been little known. It grows naturally in thick 

 forests on the east coast of Africa ; the roots are dug up in the dry season 

 (March), and soon afterwards cut in slices, and strung on cords, and dried 

 in the shade. They are held in high esteem among the natives, for the cure 

 of dysentery, the healing of ulcers, and as a remedy for almost every dis- 

 order. Some of the roots have been imported to the Mauritius by Captain 

 Owen, and Professor Bojer is trying to propagate them by cuttings of the 

 stem, as they are found to increase very slowly by offsets from, or division 

 of, the root. Should he succeed, the culture of Columbo root may become 

 an object of general industry in the Mauritius. As a medicine, this root 

 has been long known and esteemed, both in the East Indies and in Europe, 

 where it is found to be of singular efficacy in strengthening the fibres of the 

 stomach and bowels, not only in chronic cases, but in the cholera morbus, 

 dysentery, and diseases of the alimentary canal. Its analysis, according 

 to M. Planche, afforded a third of its weight of woody tissue, a third of 

 amylaceous matter, and the remaining third is principally composed of ani- 

 mal substance and a yellow and bitter matter insoluble in metallic salts. 

 " The presence of so large a quantity of amylaceous substance accounts for 

 the great reputation of the root in dysentery, diarrhoeas, and excessive 

 vomiting. By a decoction of Columbo the fecula is extracted, as well as 

 the bitter principle, whose action is thus considerably modified, whilst an 

 infusion is simply bitter and tonic." — Dryas Drumniondu; itosaceae. A 

 beautiful species discovered by Dr. Richardson in the woody country of 

 North America, between latitude 54° and 64°. " It has been Dr. Richard- 

 son's wish that it should bear the name of the indefatigable and meritorious 

 assistant-naturalist of the expedition, Mr. Thomas Drummond. Seeds were 

 brought over to this country, which have vegetated, and the plants are 

 flourishing in several gardens, though they have not yet blossomed." — 

 Primula mistassinica. Nearly allied to P. farinosa and P. scotica. Inhabits 

 North America from Canada to the arctic circles. — Cestrum bracteatum. 

 A stove shrub, probably from Brazil, received by Dr. Graham of the Edin- 

 burgh botanic garden, from the Berlin garden, — Veronica alpina var. 

 Wormskioldij 



No. XL. for April, contains 

 2976 to 2982. — Rigndnz'a Telfair/^ (in honour of Mrs. Telfair). A densely 

 leafy tree with beautiful, bell-shaped, rose-coloured flowers from Madagascar. 

 The plant not yet introduced. — Giliapiingens ; Polemoniacese. A curious 

 hardy annual from North-west America, by Mr. Douglas, to the Horticul- 

 tural Society. — Gongora viridi-purpurea ; Orchideae. Gathered in the 

 woods above Botafogo Bay, Brazil, by H. Harrison, Esq., and sent to his 

 sister, Mrs. A. Harrison of Aigburgh, near Liverpool. — Polemonium pul- 

 cherrimum. A " desirable" perennial, from the Rocky Mountains in North 

 America, by Mr. Drummond. — Epidendrum pallidiflorum. An orchideous 

 epiphyte, sent by the Rev. Lansdown Guilding to the Glasgow botanic gar- 

 den, whence is not stated. — Lantana Sellovidna (Mr. Sellow, a Prussian 

 botanist) ; Perbenacese. A pretty species, from Monte Video, to M. Otto 

 of Berlin, in 1822, and thence to the Glasgow botanic garden, in 1829. — 

 Potentilla nivea var. macrophylla. Raised in the Glasgow botanic garden, 

 from seeds brought from the Rocky Mountains by Mr. Drummond. 



No. XLJ.for May, contains 



2983 to 2989. — Amaryllis aulica var. platypetala glaucophylla. " So 



well marked, and so beautiful, as almost to merit the rank of a species." 



From Rio to the Aigburgh garden, near Liverpool. — Potentilla gracilis. A 



handsome strong-growing perennial, from the banks of the Columbia in 



