294 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



the different zones of a perpendicular stem, but, more outwardly, 

 the superadded sections which are those of the branches and boughs 

 of another order. 



It is particularly to the presence of gummy -resinous juices that the 

 TereUnthacece owe their peculiar properties.' The most known are 

 those which make Mastic, Incense, Elemi, Myrrh, Balm of Mecca, 

 and Bdellium. The three latter are produced by species of the genus 

 Balsamea. It was B. Myrrha^ that was especially considered 

 formerly to yield the Myrrh of Arabia and Abyssinia, an odorous gum 

 resin, at first reserved for the worship of gods, sold for its weight in 

 gold, and afterwards forming part of the most choice medicaments ; 

 mithridate, theriac, orvietan, electuary of hyacinth, the balms of 

 Fioravanti and of the Commander, the elixir of Garus, the plaster 

 diahotanum, etc. It is a balsamic stimulant, particTilarly useful in 

 cases of chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane. It was 

 formerly recommended as astringent, cordial, stomachic, deobstruent, 

 antiseptic, diuretic, etc. It was much used in embalming. When 

 it flows naturally from the trunk and branches it is fluid, and this 

 form formerly bore the name of Stacte. By cutting into it the flow 

 is increased, but it injures the plant, which often dies, and gives more- 

 over in this case a product of inferior quality, and which is besides, fre- 

 quently adulterated by the addition of various resinous substances of 

 much lower value. The Myrrh of Arabia or Turkey is the Miir of 

 the Hebrews, also called by the ancients M. troglodyte. The M. of 

 India was distinct ; it is said to have been gathered on the shores of 

 the Red Sea, thence sent to India, and from thence brought to Europe. 

 It is possible it was collected in India itself where the B. Myrrha also 

 grows. There are some false' Myrrhs^ which must not be confounded 

 with the preceding. Bdellium is still less employed in medicine than 

 Myrrh ; several sorts are noticed ; the same perhaps as those formerly 



. I Endl. EneHiid. 699, 602.— Lindl. Veg. Myrrh). Bbkb believes the Myrrh is produced 



Kingd. 460, 466; Fl. Med. 169, 281.— Guib. hy an allied hut different species, ^. £A) ««fo>-^j- 



J)roff. Simpl. ed. 6, iii. 485.— BosENTH. Syn. anum (in Mot. Zeit. (1862), 163. — Bero et 



Flant. Diaphor. 845. — Maech. in Adansonia, viii. Schmidt, Darst Officin, Gew. iv. t. 39 d. 



50 ; Jnacard. 139. Gcib. loc. oil. 311, fig. 719) ; but this plant does 



2 Balsamodendron Myrrha Nees et Eberm. not seem specifically different from B. Opo- 



-Bandb. iii. 122.— Kees, Plant. Med. t. 357. — baUammn K. (Olit. M. trap. Afr. i. 326). 



KoSBNTH. op. cit. 860. — March, in Adansonia, 3 Bonastre, in Journ. Fharm. xv. 281. 

 vii. 250, t. 8 (On the origin and production of 



