SPERMATOPHYTA— MENISPERMACEAE 



473 



paniculata is used for destroying vermin and to poison fisli. The wood of this 

 species is very bitter to the taste and contains an alkaloid menispermm 

 CgjHj^NO^ and a toxic substance picrotoxin which is said to be a mixture 

 of two bodies picrotoxin Cj^H^gO^ and picrotin Cj^H^gOj. The Columba 

 Root {Jateorrhisa Columba) is used as a medicine and contains several alka- 

 loids, among them, berberin and columbamin. The false Columba Root (Cas- 

 cinum fenestratum) produces a yellow dye. The alkaloid pelosin is obtained 

 from Chondrodendrum tomentosum. 



Fig. 244. Laurel Magnolia (Magnolia mrginiatui). 

 A well known flowering shrub or small tree of the 

 Southern states, well known as an ornamental plant. 

 Fig. 243. Moon-seed (Menispermum 



canadense). The fruit is blue, much the 



color of Concord grapes. Plants like the 



fish poisons belonging to the same order are 



known to be poisonous. This plant has been 



suspected of being poisonous. (Charlotte M. 



King). 



Magnouacbae. Magnolia Family 



Trees or shrubs, leaves alternate ; leaf buds covered by membranous stipules ; 

 flowers large solitary; sepals and petals hypogynous, colored alike; stamens 

 numerous, adnate anthers, carpels numerous, separate, or coherent, packed to- 

 gether, ripening into an aggregate fruit; seeds 1-2 in each carpel, achenes or 

 follicles, endosperm fleshy; embryo minute. About 70 species of North America 

 and Asia. The bark of several species used in medicine. 



The family MagnoUaceae contains the well known magnolias planted for 

 ornamental purposes. Among these are the great flowered magnolia {Magnolia 



