25 



a pistol; hence, it is also called the monkey's dinner bell. An emetic oil 

 is extracted from the seeds, and a venomous, milky juice is abundant in 

 all parts of the plant. 



237 . Hymens a courbaril. — The locust tree of the "West Indies; also called algar- 

 roba in tropical regions. This is one of the very largest growing trees 

 known, and living trees in Brazil are supposed to have been growing at 

 the commencement of the Christian era. The timber is very hard, and is 

 much used for building purposes. A valuable resin, resembling the anime 

 of Africa, exudes from the trunk, and large lumps of it are found about 

 the roots of old trees. 



288. Hyph^j thebaioa. — The doum, or doom palm, or gingerbread of Egypt; it 

 grows also in Nubia, Abyssinia, and Arabia. The fibrous, mealy husks of 

 the seeds are eaten, and taste almost like gingerbread. In the Thebias this 

 palm forms extensive forests, the roots spreading over the lurid ruins of one 

 of the largest and most splendid cities of the ancient world. 



239. Icica heptaphylla. — The incense tree of Guiana, a tall-growing tree, fur- 



nishing wood of great durability. It is called cedar wood on account of 

 its fragrant odor. The balsam from the trunk is highly odoriferous, and 

 used in perfumery, and i3 known as balsam of acouchi; it is used in medi- 

 cine. The balsam and branches are burned as incense in churches. 



240. Ilex paraguayensis. — This is the tea plant of South America, where it oc- 



cupies the same important position in the domestic economy of the country 

 as the Chinese tea does in this. The mat& is prepared by drying and roast- 

 ing the leaves, which are then reduced to a powder and made into pack- 

 ages. When used, a small portion of the powder is placed in a vessel, sugar 

 is added, and boiling water poured over the whole. It has an agreeable, 

 slightly aromatic odor, rather bitter to the taste, but very refreshing and 

 invigorating to the human frame after severe fatigue. It acts in some de- 

 gree as an aperient and diuretic, and in overdoses produces intoxication. 

 It contains the same active principle, theine as tea and coffee, but not their 

 volatile and empyreumatic oils. 



241. Illicium anisatum. — This magnoliaceous plant is a native of China, and its 



fruit furnishes the star anise of commerce. In China, Japan, and India it 

 is used as a condiment in the preparation of food, and is chewed to pro- 

 mote digestion, and the native physicians prescribe it as a carminative. 

 It is the flavoring ingredient of the preparation Anisette de Bordeaux. Its 

 flavor and odor are due to a volatile oil, which is extracted by distillation, 

 and sold as oil of anise, which is really a different article. 



242. Illicium florid anum.— -A native of the Southern States. The leaves are said 



to be poisonous; hence, the plant is sometimes called poison bag. The bark 

 has been used as a substitute for cascarilla. 



243. Illicium religiosum. — A Japanese species, which reaches the size of a small 



tree, and is held sacred by the Japanese, who form wreaths of it with which 

 to decorate the tombs of their deceased friends, and they also burn the 

 fragrant bark as incense. Their watchmen use the powdered bark for 

 burning in graduated tubes, in order to mark the time, as it consumes slowly 

 and uniformly. The leaves are said to possess poisonous properties. 



244. Indigofera tinctoria. — The indigo plant, a native of Asia, but cultivated 



and naturalized in many countries. The use of indigo as a dye is of great 

 antiquity. Both Dioscorides and Pliny mention it, and it is supposed to 

 have been employed by the ancient Egyptians. The indigo of commerce is 

 prepared by throwing the fresh cut plants into water, where they are 

 steeped for twelve hours, when the water is run off into a vessel and agi- 

 tated in order to promote the formation of the blue coloring matter, which 

 does not exist ready formed in the tissues of the plant', but is the result of 

 the oxidation of other substances contained in them. The coloring matter 

 then settles at the bottom: it is then boiled to a certain consistency and 

 afterwards spread out on cloth frames, where it is further drained of water 

 and pressed into cubes or cakes for market. 



245. Ipom^ea purga. — A species of jalap is obtained from this convolvulaceous 



plant; this is a resinous matter contained in the juices. 



246. Iriartella setigera. — A South American palm growing in the underwood 



of the forests on the Amazon and Rio Negro. The Indians use its slender 

 stems for making their blow pipes or gravatanas, through which they blow 

 small poisoned arrows with accuracy to a considerable distance. 



