F A B A C E JE. 229 



much lauded in the treatment of fluor albus and menorrhagia. When taken 

 into the stomach, it tinges the faecal evacuations of a red colour, but does 

 not affect the colour of the urine, though it diminishes the quantity of this 

 secretion. The powdered extract forms an ingredient in many tooth-pow- 

 ders, and the tincture is also used as an astringent mouth wash. Several 

 preparations are officinal in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, as the infusion, the ex- 

 tract, the tincture, and the syrup ; this latter form is an excellent mode of 

 administering it, and has been found very efficacious in all the cases to which 

 Rhatany is applicable; the dose is from a drachm to half an ounce; of the 

 extract from ten grains to a scruple ; the compound tincture, which is much 

 employed in France as a stomachic in cardialgia, nervous irritability, &c, 

 is made as follows : R. — Rad. Kramer, contus. 3iij., Cort. aurant. 3ij., Rad. 

 Serpent. Virgin. 3ss., Croci. Ang. 3j., Alcohol, Ifeij. 



Rhatany has been analyzed by several chemists, and is shown to owe its 

 powers to the presence of a large proportion of tannin, 100 parts of the root 

 affording about 32 of watery extract, which is composed of nearly one half 

 of tannin. Peschier also detected a peculiar acid, to which he has given the 

 name of Krameric, and is of opinion that the styptic properties of the root 

 are dependent on it. 



The K. ixina found in the West Indies and Brazil, is said to possess 

 identical properties with the Rhatany, and is admitted as officinal into the 

 French Codex, but is seldom or ever employed. It is highly probable also 

 that the North American species, the K. lanceolata, Torrey, might be used 

 as a substitute for the Peruvian should it be required. 



Monnina. — Ruiz and Pavon. 



Flowers resupinate. Sepals 5, deciduous; the 2 inner wing-like ; the 3 outer ovate, two of 

 them often connate. Petals connate at base, often three-toothed. Stamens 8 ; filaments 

 somewhat diadelphous. Drupe 2-celled, 2-seeded, or by abortion, 1-celled, 1-seeded. Seed 

 pendulous. 



These are herbaceous or suffruticose plants, peculiar to South America, and 

 long known in Peru, under the name of " yallhoy." The roots of M. poly- 

 stachya and M. pterocarpa are much esteemed for their powers in the treat- 

 ment of bowel diseases. They are bitter and astringent, but also contain a 

 saponaceous principle, for if the bark be agitated in water it causes a frothing 

 like soap, and its detergent properties are said to be very active, hence it is 

 employed by the silversmiths in Peru to cleanse and polish wrought silver. 

 The M. salicifolia has somewhat the same powers, but is principally used in 

 cold infusion for the purpose of cleansing and strengthening the hair. 



Group XVII.— Leguminales. 



Order 44.— FABACEiE.— Lindley. 



Sepals united into a 5-cleftor 5-toothed calyx, the segments often combined, the odd one 

 inferior. Petals 5, perigynous or hypogynous, irregular and unequal, or regular, distinct 

 or cohering, the odd petal superior. Stamens definite or indefinite, distinct, monadel- 

 phous or diadelphous, inserted with the petals ; anthers versatile. Ovary solitary, distinct 

 from the calyx ; ovules one or several, style simple. Fruit a legume or a drupe. Seeds 

 solitary or many, sometimes with an aril or large caruncle, exalbuminous. Embryo 

 straight, or with the radicle, bent back along the edge of the cotyledons ; cotyledons 

 thick and fleshy, or thin and somewhat foliaceous. 



This extremely extensive order is composed of trees, shrubs, and herbs. 

 The leaves are alternate, stipulate, usually compound, sometimes reduced to 



