VALPARAISO. 155 
bastard rosemary, an infusion of which is drank to strengthen the 
stomach. Palqui, the yellow and the lilac-flowered; the last smells 
like jasmine during the night, but is disagreeable after sun-rise: the 
plant is hurtful taken inwardly, but useful as a lotion, for swellings 
and cutaneous eruptions: it is chiefly used for making soap, as it 
yields the finest ashes, and in the greatest quantities of any plant 
here. Yerva Mora is a variety of solanum, a specific for complaints 
in the eyes: there is a beautiful azure-blue variety, with deeply-in- 
dented leaves.* Manzanilla, so called from its smelling of apples, 
is a strong bitter, like camomile, and is used in the same manner. It 
looks like camomile with the outer florets stripped off: the true 
camomile is called Manzanilla de Castilla. The maravilla or shrubby 
sunflower, grows abundantly on all the hills around, and affords ex- 
cellent browsing for the cattle. Mayu +, whose pods furnish a dark 
powder that makes excellent writing-ink. Pimentella, a kind of sage, 
with splendid flowers but dull grey leaves, used for rheumatic pains. 
The quillo quilloe, or white lychnis and tornatilla, a mallow, are 
also used in medicine; and J saw in the house bundles of dried 
Cachanlangue, or lesser herb-centaury, which I was assured was a 
sovereign remedy in spitting blood. Besides all these useful plants, 
I had gathered the Flor de Soldado, (scarlet celsia,) the Barba de 
Viejo, a shrub with a small aggregate flower growing in clusters, and 
smelling like queen of the meadow, andromeda, and the lesser fuscia : 
so that, considering that it is not yet the season of flowers, I had been 
pretty successful. I am sorry I know so little of botany, because I 
am really fond of plants. But I love to see their habits, and to know 
their countries and their uses ; and it appears to me that the nomen- 
clature of botany is contrived to keep people at a distance from any 
real acquaintance with one of the most beautiful classes of objects in 
nature. What have harsh hundred syllabled names to do with such 
lovely things as roses, jasmines, and violets ? 
* Such as Smith, in his botany, calls lyrate. See No. 59. in the plates of the leaves. 
+ Belongs to Linnzeus’s natural order, Lomentacea. 
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