294 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



are the dried flower-buds of Caryophyllus aromaticus ; in Pimento, or the 

 fruit of one or more species of Eugenia; in Melaleuca cajeputi, from the 

 leaves of which the Cajeput oil is obtained. 



In others again, the astringent principle is predominant, as in Punica, the 

 bark of the fruit of which contains much tannin ; in the bark of many species 

 of Eucalyptus, which are used for tanning. On the other hand, some species 

 afford a sweet gum, especially the Eucalyptus mannifera. The leaves of 

 others are substitutes for tea, as various species of Leptosp^rmum, fyc. 



Punica. — Linn. 



Tube of the calyx turbinate, limb 5 — 7-cleft, coriaceous. Petals 5 — 7. Stamens in- 

 definite ; filaments free; anthers anteriorly 2-celled, dehiscing by a double chink. Style 

 filiform ; stigma capitate. Fruit spherical, crowned with the limb of the calyx, coated 

 with the tube, indehiscent, unequally divided into two parts by a horizontal diaphragm, 

 the upper 5 — 9-celled, the lower three celled, dissepiments membranous. Placentae of 

 upper chamber fleshy, spreading from the sides to the centre ; those of lower chamber, in 

 irregular processes from its base. Seeds very numerous, mixed with a pellucid pulp, ex- 

 albuminous ; embryo oblong ; radicle short, straight cotyledons foliaceous, spirally convo- 

 luted. 



A small genus erected into an order by Don (Eel. Phil. Jour. 1826), in 

 which he has been followed by De Candolle and other high authorities. Lind- 

 ley, however, is of opinion that it may be allowed to remain in theMyrtacese, on 

 the ground that the only real differences it presents are its leaves without a 

 marginal vein, its convolute cotyledons and pulpy seeds. 



P. granatum, Linn. — Leaves lanceolate. Stem arborescent. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 676 ; Woodville, t. 58 ; Stokes, Med. Bot. iii. 84 ; Stephen- 

 son and Churchill, i. 57 ; Lindley, Flor. Med. 74. 

 Common Name. — Pomegranate tree. 

 Foreign Names. — Grenadier, Fr. ; Pomogranato, It. ; Granatbaum, Ger. 



Fig. 145. Description. — A small tree covered 



with a brownish bark, with many 

 slender branches, which are more or 

 less spiny. The leaves are opposite 

 or ternate, sessile, waved, entire, lan- 

 ceolate, of a bright-green colour. 

 The flowers are large, of a rich scar- 

 let colour, solitary, or two or three 

 together, terminal. The calyx is 

 turbinate, thick, fleshy, of a red co- 

 lour, and divided into five acute seg- 

 ments which are valvate in aestiva- 

 tion. The corolla is formed of five 

 large, wrinkled petals, somewhat 

 spreading. The stamens are indefi- 

 nite, with capillary filaments, and 

 oblong, two-celled anthers, bursting 

 in front by two chinks. The ovary 

 is inferior, with a simple style, 

 crowned by a papulose stigma. The 

 fruit is the size of an orange, globu- 

 lar, somewhat compressed, and inde- 

 hiscent; it is filled with numerous, 

 angular, exalbuminous seeds, each 

 enveloped in a juicy rose-coloured pulp, and is crowned with the limb of the calyx, and 

 covered with a thick, tawny, coriaceous rind, which is the dilated calycine tube. This 

 balaust, as it is termed, is divided into two chambers by a transverse diaphragm. The 

 upper chamber is five to nine-celled, and the lower three-celled. The placentae of the 



P. granatum. 

 1. Calyx and stamens. 2. Stamen. 



3. Fruit. 



