4o8 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



Chenopodiace^. 



White Goosefoot {Chenopodium album, L.). — An- 

 nual, attaining several feet in height. In some of the 

 Hebrides it is commonly collected by the inhabi- 

 tants, boiled and eaten as a green vegetable. Under 

 the name of " Bathu " this plant is used in Lahore as 

 food, in medicine, and to clean copper vessels 

 preparatory for tinning them. It is considered a 

 laxative in diseases of the spleen, bile, and worms. — ■ 

 'The Useful Plants of Great Britain,' Sowerby, 

 p. 217; 'Punjab Products,' Powell, vol. i., p. 372, 

 &c. 



Distribution : Upper Guinea. 



Herba Santa Maria of Brazil, Herva tormiguera of 

 the Azores and Lisbon {Chenopodium ambrosioides, L.). 

 — Small plant, with a powerful aromatic odour. It has 

 been used in Europe by Plenk with good results in 

 nervous affections, chiefly in chorea. It is administered 

 in the form of an infusion, eight grams of the herb 

 to 230 grams of boiling water, with some bruised 

 peppermint ; it has also been used with success in 

 similar complaints in conjunction with cinchona. In 

 Brazil the tops of the plants are used as a vermifuge, 

 for which purpose it is said to be remarkably effica- 

 cious ; and an infusion of the plant as a carminative, 

 diaphoretic, and emmenogogue in amenorrhoea, and 



