300 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



Europe and also cultivated, and in one or more species of the fol- 

 lowing genera : Anagyris, Baptisia, Coronilla, Crotalaria, Genista, 

 and Ulex. 



Abrin, composed of a globulin and albumose and whose prop- 

 erties are affected at a temperature of 50° C. or over, is found in 

 the seeds of Jequirity (Abrus precatoriits) and Cassia hispidula 

 of Mexico; two alkaloids (lupinine and lupinidine) and a bitter 

 glucoside (lupinin) are found in the white lupine {Lupinns 

 albus) of Europe and in other species of Lupinus ; a glucoside 

 (wistarin) and a poisonous resin are found in Wistaria {Kraun- 

 hia Uorihunda) a common woody climber in cultivation as an orna- 

 mental plant; the glucoside ononin is found in Radix Ononidis 

 the root of Ononis spinosa of Europe ; the glandular hairs on the 

 pods of Mucuna pruricns and M. urens growing in the Tropics 

 of both hemispheres constitute the cowhage of medicine ; butyric 

 acid is found in St. John's bread the fruit of Ceratonia Siliqua 

 which grows in European countries bordering the Mediterranean, 

 and also in Eperiia falcata of Guiana. 



A bitter principle, bondicine, known as poor man's quinine, 

 is found in Casalpinia Bonducella and other species of Casalpinia 

 growing in Sumatra, Borneo, New Zealand and Brazil ; the seeds 

 of Phaseolus lunatns of the East Indies contain a principle from 

 which hydrocyanic acid is derived. 



The seeds of many of the plants belonging to the Leguminosse 

 are rich in starch and proteids and hence are used as foods. The 

 proteid legumin is characteristic of this family. The following 

 are some of the important food plants: the garden pea (Pisiim 

 sativum), the garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) ; lentil (Lens 

 esculenta) , Japanese Soy bean {Glycine hispida). The peanut 

 (Arachis hypogcea) indigenous to Brazil and extensively culti- 

 vated in most of the Southern States and in Southern Europe, 

 belongs to the group of plants which have geocarpic fruits, that 

 is, fruits which penetrate the soil during their development and 

 ripen under ground (Fig. 88). In peanuts the starch is replaced 

 by a fixed oil which is present to the extent of about 45 per cent, 

 and which is an article of commerce. In addition to the seeds 

 mentioned those of a number of other plants as well as some 

 fruits, roots and leaves are used as foods in various parts of the 



