LYTHBARIACEM. 447 



may have an agreeable or offensive odour. The common Salicaria ' 



(fig. 386-392) so oommon'at the waterside and in so many countries, 



had formerly a certain reputation as an astringent, antidysenteric 



medicine; the root was more especially sought. A neighbouring 



species, Lythrum hyssopifoUum,^ was formerly considered a vulnerary, 



anti-scorbutic, and aperitive. L. alatum,^ of the United States, is 



employed in the treatment of sores and ulcers. Several American 



JVesceas are extolled as medicines. N. verticillata* growing in 



marshes, is reputed to cure abortion in animals which feed upon it. 



JV. syphilitica,^ to which the Mexicans attribute many properties, has 



a diuretic, sudorific, and laxative juice. There is also in Peru a 



Guphea antisyphilitica,^ and G. microphylla "^ is reputed to have the 



same virtues. There are likewise in this genus many plants with a 



viscous tenaceous juice, secreted by numerous glands on the surface 



of the stems and leaves. The Ammannia have sometimes insipid, 



slightly fleshy leaves, used for the same purposes as purslain, but it 



would be imprudent to eat them raw. Such is A. portula^ (fig. 418, 



419), considered edible in some countries.^ A. vesicatoria,^" on the 



contrary, is an acrid plant, of a strong chloric odour J its leaves are 



preferred, in India, to cantharides, as producing a more rapid and less 



painful vesication. The Lagerstroemias are magnificent ornamental 



1 lA/thrum Salicaria L. Spec. 640.— DC. Prodr. « H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. yi. 202.— DC. 

 iii. 82, n. 13.— Geen. et Gode. M. deFr. i. 593. Prodr. iii. 87, n. 30 {GUagari). G. Balsamma 

 — Caz. pi. Med. Indig. ed. 3, 9i5.—Saliemria Cham, and Schlohtl and ingrata Cham, and 

 spieata T.amtt, Fl. Fran(;. iii. 103. — S. vulgaris Sohlchtl, of Brazil (<Srfe SaB^rnffls), are reputed 

 McENCH, Meth.&&5. — Lysimaehia pwrpwrea qui- antisyphilitio and febrifuge. 



busdam, spieata 3 . 'Bt.va. {Red Zysimachid) . 7 H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. Ti. 201. — DC. 



2 L. Spec. 642. — ^Eosekth. op. cit. 912. — Prodr. n. 28. C. ^i)a«a;»fo» DC. is considered 

 Salicaria hyssopifoUa Lame. astringent in Mexico, and from C. lanceolata Ait. 



' Puesh, Fl. Bor.-Amer. i. 334 (not Pkesl). (Atlanehan) a tincture is prepared with which 



■ — DC. Prodr. n. 5. — ^Ell. Bot. Mag. t. 1812. — the ahdomen of women in childhirth is ruhbed. 



Z. vuMeraria Scan. PI. Sar. Hart. Mon. t. 27.— « H. Bn. Bull. Soc. Linn. Par. (1876) 88.— 



L. acinifolium Sess. et M09. (ex DC). — Z, Peplis Portula L. Spec. 474. — Schkuhe, Handt. 



Kennedyanum H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. vi. 194. t. 99. — DO. Prodr. iii. 77, n. 1. — Geen. et Gode. 



— L.virginicum'KE^TS. — Pythagoreaalata'Rxvis. Fl. de Fr. i, 597 . — Portula diffusa MfEncH. A. 



[Terba delcancer). L. Sunteri DC. mingled with vertieillaris {Sotala verticillaris L. ; — DO. Prodr. 



Morinda, is used in India for dyeing. iii. 76) used in India in the treatment of 



* H. B. K. ex EosENTH. op. cit. 914. — Lyth- 

 rum verticillatum L. 9 Qn the coasts where Pemphis acidula Foest. 



= H. B. K. ex R08ENTH. op. cit. 911. — Eeimia ' (fig. 410, 411) grows, its slightly fleshy and 



syphilitica DO. Prodr. iii. 89. — Oijnoria syphili- salt leaves are eaten as salad. 



tiea M09. et Sess. ex DC. loc. cit. [Banchinot). i» Eoxb. Fl. Ind. i. 447. — DC. Prodr. iii. 78, 



N. salicifolia H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. vi. 192 n. 7. — Lindl. Fl. Med. 149. — Eosenth. op. cit. 



{Heimia salicifolia Link et Ott.), from the same 911. — A. baccifera L.? — Bapalocarpiim vesiczto- 



country (fig. 394, 396), has analogous proper- rium Wight and Aen. [Baud-maree of the 

 ties. 



