102 MEDICAL BOTANY. 



This order consists of trees or shrubs, with alternate, entire leaves, with- 

 out stipules. They are principally found in the tropics, but a few are native 

 more to the northward and southward. The general character of the species 

 is that of being powerfully aromatic and stimulant. None of them are re- 

 cognised as medicinal, though it is probable from the marked qualities of 

 some of them, that they might be advantageously employed in regular prac- 

 tice, as Blume states that the seeds of some of the species of Xylopia must 

 be used with caution, as when employed freely, they cause vertigo, haemor- 

 rhage, and even abortion ; and Martius says that the seeds of the Uvaria 

 febrifugaor Fruttacle burro of the Indians on the Orinoco, form an excellent 

 febrifuge. The fruit of the Monodora myristica is similar to that of the nut- 

 meg, and may be used as a substitute for it, but is less pungent. 



The berries of Habzelia cethioptica and H. aromatica are aromatic and 

 pungent, and are employed in place of other spices. That of the first is the 

 Ethiopian pepper of commerce. 



The succulent fruit of some of the species of Anona, Uvaria, &c, are 

 edible and agreeable, containing a sugary mucilage ; among these are the 

 Custard apples, the Papaw of the United States, and the Cherimoyer of Peru. 

 In some of these plants the wood is very bitter, especially in the Xylopia 

 glabra, in which this quality is so marked as to render it unfit for most pur- 

 poses, and it is said that sugar hogsheads made of it, render the contents un- 

 eatable even by cockroaches. The wood of the Dignetia quitarensis is 

 much employed by coachmakers, on account of its strength and elasticity, 

 and is well known under the name of Lancewood ; and that of another spe- 

 cies of the same genus, is stated by Martius to be one of the heaviest yet 

 discovered. 



G-roup II.— Menispermales. 



Order 4.— MENISPERMACEiE.— Jussieu. 



Flowers dioecious. Sepals mostly in two rows, deciduous. Petals usually equal in 

 number to the sepals, hypogynous. Stamens often monadelphous, sometimes distinct ; 

 in number equal to the petals, or 2-4 times as numerous. Anthers adnate. Ovaries 

 many, 1-celled, and with 1 style, distinct or rarely united. Pericarp, a 1-seeded drupe, 

 lunate or incurved. Seed of the same form, with a thin fleshy albumen, and a curved 

 embryo. 



The plants of this order are flexible or twining, with alternate leaves, not 

 furnished with stipules, and in most cases small flowers, disposed in racemes or 

 panicles. They are common in the tropical parts of Asia and America, but are 

 seldom found out of these regions; North America contains but six.. Their 

 general character is either narcotic or bitter, or both combined. Thus the 

 bark of the Chondrodendron convolvulaceum is esteemed as a febrifuge in 

 Peru ; whilst the berries of the Anamirta cocculus furnish the poisonous 

 principles, picrotoxine and menispermine. The roots and bark of most of 

 the Cocculi are bitter and tonic ; and those of the Cissampeli are stimulating 

 diuretics. The root of Menispermum canademe is said to be tonic, altera- 

 tive, and diuretic. — (Riddell.) 



Cocculus. — Bauhin. 



Flowers dioecious. Sepals 6, in two rows. Petals G, distinct. Stamens 6, opposite, 

 free. Ovaries 3-G. Drupes 1-6. Racemes axillary. 



This genus, adopted by De Candolle from Bauhin, is very closely allied to 

 Menispermum, differing from it chiefly in the equality in numbers of the sta- 

 mens and sepals, instead of the former being twice or more than twice as 



