530 



MANUAI. OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



branches, found in tropical eastern Africa, is used in medicine as an astringent. 

 Under another name, Cutch, it is used in medicine because of its astringent 

 properties. The resin from Cutch is made into cakes used for dyeing 

 and tanning. Cutch contains catechol C„H„0, and catechutcpnnic acid. 



Fig. 289. Copaiba Balsam {Copaifefa officinalis). 

 ally. (After Faguet.) 



Used medicin- iT"''' 



Gum tragacanth (Astragalus gummifer) native to western Asia, is a spiny- 

 shrub with yellow flowers and is used to give consistency to lozenges; it con- 

 tains traganthin, CgH^jOg and arabin. 



Poisonous and medicinal plants. Most of the substances occurring in the 

 -poisonous plants are mentioned tinder the species described. Many of the 

 Leguminosae contain alkaloids; few of these are, however, found in Minioseae, 

 although alkaloids have been found in Acacia tenerrima, Albizsia lucida, and 

 Pithecolobium Saman which are Mimosae. Of the Papilionaceae, the Sophoreae, 

 Podalyrieae and Genisteae frequently contain alkaloids. Ulexin, found in seed 

 of the Ulex europaeus, sophorin, in Sophora speciosa, and baptitoxin are identical 

 with cytisin. Matrin Cj^Hj^N^O, an alkaloid, resembling lupanin occurs in the 

 root of Sophora augustifoli.a Anagyrin C^gH^jNOg, and cytisin, both occur in 

 ihe seeds of Anagyris foetida, Baptisia and many other genera. 



