MYRTACE^E. 293 



The endless varieties of the Apple are all said to be derived from the 

 P. malus or wild crab, a native of the temperate parts of Europe. The 

 apple was very early cultivated, and is noticed by the first writers whose 

 works have come down to us. Its uses as a fruit and as furnishing cider 

 are too well known to require notice. As an article of the Materia Medica, 

 this is mainly employed when roasted, to obviate costiveness, or in the forma- 

 tion of cooling drinks; the cooked pulp has also been recommended as a 

 cataplasm in cases of inflammation of the eyelids. The acid juice of the 

 crab apple, known under the name of Verjuice, has been found useful as a 

 topical application to sprains and bruises'. The most important remedial 

 agent obtained from this genus is Phloridzine, a bitter principle which exists 

 in all the Pomaceee, but appears to be most abundant in the apple tribe. 

 This was discovered by M. de Koninck about ten years since. It is neutral, 

 of a white colour, and very bitter taste, and has been found very beneficial 

 in intermittent fevers, and is said to have succeeded where quinia had no 

 effect. It is given in the same manner as this alkaloid. (See Dunglison, 

 New Rem. 490.) 



Sec. 2. Sorbus. — Leaves pinnate or pinnately lobed ; cymes compound ; petals spread- 

 ing ; styles 2 — 5, distinct ; pome globose or turbinate ; cells not cartilaginous, 



Several species of this section have been ranked as medicinal agents ; but 

 the only one that appears deserving of notice is P. aucuparia or Mountain 

 Ash of Europe. The bark, flowers and root of this tree contain so much of 

 the peculiar essential bitter of almonds as to yield as much hydrocyanic acid as 

 the cherry laurel. (Buck. Reper., 27, 238.) 



The North American P. americana, so closely allied to the above as to be 

 scarcely distinguishable from it, probably partakes of the same chemical 

 characters, and if so, might be advantageously employed in those cases in 

 which the Wild cherry has been found so beneficial ; but no experiments have 

 been made to ascertain its true character. Rafinesque says of it, " Bark 

 smells and tastes like cherry bark, equal to it, more astringent, fine tonic, 

 antiseptic, contains prussic acid, used in fevers and other diseases like 

 cinchona." 



Group XIX.— Myrtales. 



Order 48.— MYRTACE^.— Brown. 



Calyx adherent, valvate, 4 — 5-cleft. Petals equal in number to the segments of the 

 calyx, with a quincuncial aestivation ; rarely none. Stamens indefinite, or twice as many 

 as the petals, rarely equal to them in number; filaments either distinct or connected in 

 several parcels ; anthers ovate, 2-celled, small, with a longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary 

 inferior, 1 — 2, 4 — 5, or 6-celled ; style simple, springing directly from the placenta; ovules 

 usually pendulous, or erect and anatropal; occasionally peltate and amphitropal, always 

 inserted into a central or axile placenta. Fruit dry or fleshy, dehiscent or indehiscent. 

 Seeds usually indefinite, variable in form; embryo straight or curved, with no albumen. 



Trees or shrubs with opposite or alternate, entire leaves, generally with 

 transparent dots, and a vein running parallel to their margin. Flowers red, 

 white, or yellow, never blue. They are natives of warm climates, princi- 

 pally in South America and the East Indies, but a considerable number are 

 found in New Holland, and the South Sea Islands. Their general character- 

 istics are those of aromatics and astringents. The pellucid dotting of the 

 leaves indicates the presence of a volatile oil, and to this is due the most 

 striking quality of the order; this aroma is found in the fruit of the Guava, 

 Psidium, and the Rose apples, Eugenia, the berries of the Myrtle, &c. ; in 

 many it is in union with an astringent principle. 



In some this aromatic and stimulant oil predominates, as in Cloves, which 



