692 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



to Ceylon. The Dita Bark contains the alkaloid ditamin C^jH^gNO,, recom- 

 mended as a tonic and an antiperiodic ; also the alkaloids echitamin C^H^jN^O^ 

 and echitemin C^oH^jNO^. In the bark of Alstonia spectabilis, besides ditamin 

 and echitemin there is found a third alkaloid alstonamin. An allied species 

 native of eastern Australia, is used for ague. In North America the dogbanes 

 are also used in medicine. The ordeal tree of Madagascar {Cerbera Tanghin) 

 produces a very poisonous narcotic seed. It is used by the natives to poison 

 persons, and formerly criminals were put to death by being pricked with a 

 lance dipped in the juice of the kernel. A single seed is said to contain enough 

 poison to kill 20 people. 



Both species of Apocynum are used in medicine. The Indian hemp used 

 as an emetic, cathartic and diuretic contains the glucoside apocynein and a 

 bitter resin-like extractive, apocynin, both of which Schmiedeberg isolated. 

 The Thevetia neriifolia of tropical America contains a powerful heart poison, 

 thevetin C.,H^ O^, and theveresin. Strophanthus Kombe of East Africa is a 

 woody climber, and contains strophanthin Cj^H^jOg which acts like digitalin, 

 being valuable in cardiac disease; it is also used as an arrow poison.* The' 

 5". hispidus contains the same glucoside and an alkaloid inaein. The action of 

 this drug is similar to Digitalis although not as efficient. The Querbracho 

 {Aspidosperma Querbracho blaitco) of Argentina furnishes a valuable tanning 

 bark containing 3-4 per cent of tannin ; it also contains alkaloids, six of which 

 have been discovered, among them being aspidiospermin C^gHguN^Oj, aspido- 

 spermatin and querbrachin C^jH^gN^Oj, aspidosamin and quebrachinamin. The 

 yellow flowered Nightshade (Urechitea) of the West Indies is a cardiac poison 

 not unlike Digitalis. 



Apocynum. Dogbane 



Perennial herbs with opposite entire leaves; small white or pink flowers; 

 calyx 5-parted, with acute lobes and corolla bell-shaped, S-cleft with S small 

 triangular appendages below the throat opposite the lobes ; stamens S, inserted on 

 the base of the corolla, with arrow-shaped anthers; style none; stigma large, 

 ovoid, slightly 2-lobed; fruit of 2 long slender follicles; seeds numerous, small, 

 each with a long silky coma. A small genus of about 15 species, found chiefly 

 in the north temperate zone. 



ApocyriMm androsaemifolium L. Spreading dogbane. 

 Rootstock horizontal, smooth, or rarely soft-tomentose, branched above. 



*There are also many snake poisons belonging to different families. 



In the family Acanthaceae are Andrographis paniculata, Rhinacanthus com- 

 munis, Barleria cristata and B. lupulina, the latter of which contains not only 

 a large amount of potassium but some alkaloids also. 



The common names of a great many plants indicate their supposed virtues 

 as antidotes for snake bites. In the last edition of Gray's Manual, a few of 

 the common names of this class are among the Compositae; as Rattlesnake 

 weed (Hieracium venosum), Rattlesnake root (Prenanthes alba, P. serpentaria), 

 Rattlesnake master or Button snakeroot (Bryngium yuccifolium) , Black snake- 

 root (Sanicula marilandica) ; among the Orchidaceae Rattlesnake plantain (.Epi- 

 pactis pubescens) ; of the Gramineae, Rattlesnake grass (.Gtyceria canadensis), 

 perhaps so named because of the rattling of the spikelets ; Snakegrass (Bragrostis 

 megastachya) , so called because of the odor of the grass; of the Ophioglossaceae, 

 Rattlesnake fern (.Botrychium Virginiamtm) . 



