154 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
rich in tannin, and, as we shall see, valued for dyeing and tanning, 
have marked astringent properties. The wood of the East Indian 
“Sappan Tree” (C. Sappan),' is used as a powerful emmenagogue 
in Malabar and Cochin China, while C. Nuga’® serves the same 
purposes in India. C. pulcherrima Sw. is also used as a tonic, 
excitant, and emmenagogue. The infusion of its leaves may even 
produce abortion, and they are said to be purgative and to be some- 
times employed instead of Senna.‘ Severe fevers have been cured by 
its leaves and flowers. The root is acrid and even venomous.’ The 
Guilandinas (Fr., Cniquiers, Bonducs) also enjoy a pretty extended 
reputation as febrifuges and tonics. The seeds of C. Bonduc’ majus* 
and minus’ are used in India and Guiana, both locally and internally, 
especially for tumours and hydrocele ; and the roots are supposed to 
cure snake-bites.” 
The Kentucky Coffee-tree" (Chicot de Canada) and several species 
of Gleditschia are considered slightly astringent. From the seeds of 
the former is extracted an oil said to be purgative. It owes its name 
to the fact that in the United States its roasted seeds may really be 
used as real coffee-beans. The pulp of the Gleditschia fruits, and 
especially of the Honey Locust (G@. triacanthos Ji.)” has at first a 
sweetish taste, which then becomes horribly astringent, bitter, and 
even acrid. From the mesocarp, however, containing as it does a 
certain amount of sweetish matter, is prepared an alcoholic drink 
used in North America. Several other species of this genus from 
Eastern Asia are said to have saponaceous fruits. 
The so-called Copaiva- or Copaiba-balsam (Zaume de Copahu) is 
undoubtedly most in request of the drugs obtained from the sub- 
order Cesalpiniee. 'This was at first supposed to be produced by a 
single species of Copaiva-tree, namely C. offcinalis L.,® from the 
11, Spec., 544.—RuEED., Hort. Malab., vi. 
t. 2—Auinst., Mat. Med. Ind., ii. 450.—DC., 
Prodr., ii. 482.— ROsENTH., op. cit., 1033. 
2 Arv., Hort. Kew., iii. 32.—DC., Prodr., ii. 
481.— Guilandina Nuga L., Spec., 146 (nec 
Buegm.), RUMPHIUS says, moreover, that the 
decoction of its root cures calculous and nephri- 
tic affections (see Livp.., Fl. Med., 262.— 
RosENTE., op. cit., 1034). 
3 See above, p. 150, note 7. 
4 Linvu., #1, Med., 263. 
5 ScHomB., in Linnea, ix. 512. 
© Sect. Guilandina (see p. 74). 
7 Arn. Hort. Kew., iiti.82.—DC., Prodr.,ii. 480. 
8 Guilandina Bondue L., Spec., 545 (yellow 
seeds). 
° Guiland. Bonducella L., loc. cit. (grey 
seeds). 
1 See H. By., in Dict. Encycl. des Se. Méd., 
x. 64. An emulsion of the seeds cures certain 
chronic discharges. 
1 Gymnocladus dioica (see above, p. 88, note 
1, figs. 52, 53).—RosznTu., op. cit., 1082. 
2 L., Spec., 1509.—Dunam., Arbr., ed. 2, iv. 
t. 25.—Micux, F., Arbr., ii. 164, t. 10.—DC., 
Prodr., ii. 479, n. 1. 
3 L,, Spec., 557.—W., Spec., ii, 6830.—Jacg., 
Amer., 138, t. 86.—Lamx., Dict., ii. 97; Il., 
