362 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



Fig. 173. , flexed stigmas. The berry 



is globular, about the size 

 of a cherry, umbilicated at 

 the summit, 2-celled, and 

 containing a somewhat ge- 

 latinous pulp. The seeds 

 are hemispherical, convex 

 on one side and flat on the 

 other, longitudinally fur- 

 rowed, of a pale glaucous 

 colour, and invested in a 

 thin, elastic, somewhat 

 translucent arillus. 



The Coffee tree is usu- 

 ally considered to be a 

 native of Arabia, but 

 Bruce states that as 

 it derives its name 

 from Caffee in Africa, 

 where it still grows 

 spontaneously, it was 

 probably originally 



from thence. Ains- 

 lie says that it is a 

 native of Yemen. It 

 certainly was unknown 

 to the Greeks and Ro- 

 mans, nor is there any 

 allusion to it in the Bible, 

 which would be the 

 case, were it known at 

 the times at which its 

 various books were 

 written. It is said to 

 have been first used in 

 Persia, whence the cus- 

 tom was introduced into Arabia, about the time of the Hegira (622). 

 The progress it made was very slow at first, as it was not until 1554 

 that coffee was publicly sold in Constantinople. Much uncertainty prevails 

 with respect to the time of its introduction into western Europe, though 

 it is probable that the Venetians, who had an extensive commerce with 

 Turkey, were the first to employ it, as late however as 1615. Peter 

 de Valle speaks of bringing home to Italy some coffee, which he says 

 was unknown in his own country. Thirty years afterwards it was in- 

 troduced into Marseilles, and about 1671 a coffee-house was established in that 

 city, but these establishments were of earlier date in London, as one was 

 opened by a Greek in 1652, and in 1660 a tax of fourpence a gallon was 

 laid on all coffee made and sold, showing that its use had become very gene- 

 ral. But the berries were imported into every part of Europe, and were be- 

 come an article of trade, long before it was known what plant produced them. 

 Prosper Albinus had seen the tree in Egypt, but without fructification 

 (Aegypt., 1592), but the first definite account of it was published by A. de 

 Jussieu, in 1713, (Mem. Acad. Roy.) The plant itself was brought to 

 Europe from Batavia to Amsterdam, in 1690 (Index Plant. Hort. Lug.), 

 and from the progeny of this single plant not only was the supply obtained 



C. arabica. 

 a. Corolla and stamens, b. Pistil, c. Berry, 

 same. /. Embryo. 



d, e. Sections of the 



