URTICACE.E. 571 



better known under his nickname of Matico (little Matthew), who, when 

 wounded in action, applied accidentally the leaves of some shrub to his 

 wound, which had the immediate effect of stopping the bleeding. This shrub 

 happened to be the Chussalonga, which has since been called in honour of 

 its discoverer, Matico. That it is the true Matico of the inhabitants of Quito 

 and Riobamba, I have not the slightest doubt." " I have also a small quan- 

 tity of powdered leaves of some shrub possessing the same virtues as the 

 Matico, collected in Bolivia, where it is known under the name of Moxo- 

 Moxo. From bits of square stems which I find in the parcel, I suspect this 

 to belong to some labiate." 



From this, it appears that more than one plant is known in South 

 America under the name of Matico, and that they are all considered as 

 hsemastatic. But it is equally certain that the specimens obtained by Dr. 

 Ruschenberger, those now in our shops, and those experimented upon by Dr. 

 Jeffreys and others in England, belong to one of the Peppers, and probably 

 to the Artanthe ; though, as before stated, some differences are observable 

 between them and the figure in Flora Peruviana. 



Matico has been chemically examined by Mr. Mason, and found to contain 

 Resin, and Volatile oil, but no Tannin. As a mode of arresting external 

 haemorrhage, experiments show that some reliance can be placed upon it, 

 though as is observed by Dr. Carson (Pereira, ii. 222), the mechanical pro- 

 perties are instrumental in arresting the flow. This is proved by the fact 

 that its under surface, which is covered with hairs, and so much reticulated 

 as to appear spongy, acts more efficaciously than the upper. But it has like- 

 wise been found of benefit in various internal complaints, where there is too 

 copious a discharge, as menorrhagia, leucorrhoea, catarrhus senilis, &c. It 

 is given in infusion, tincture, syrup, &c. See Carson, Pereira, Mat. Med. ; 

 Dunglison, Neiv Remedies, 433 ; Ballard and Garrod, Mat. Med. 385. 



Group XXXVIII.— Urticales. 



Order 92.— URTICACE^.— Endlicher. 



Flowers small, monoecious or polygamous, scattered or collected, in heads or catkins. 

 Calyx membranaceous, lobed, persistent. Male : stamens definite, distinct, inserted on the 

 base of the calyx, opposite to its lobes ; anthers often curved inwards in aestivation, and 

 turned backwards, elastically, when mature. Female : ovary superior, simple ; ovule 

 solitary, erect ; stigma simple, fringed. Fruit a simple indehiscent nut, surrounded by 

 the calyx. Embryo straight ; radicle superior. 



An order of trees, shrubs, or herbs, with alternate leaves, having asperities, 

 or stinging hairs, and membranous stipules. They are found in all parts of 

 the world. Their great characteristic is the extreme causticity of the fluid 

 secreted by the glands at the base of the hairs with which many of them are 

 covered. This is a well-known property of the common Nettle, but is far 

 more remarkable in some of the tropical species, as the Tlrtica crcnidata of 

 the East Indies, which acts with almost as much virulence as the bite of a 

 venomous reptile ; 77. stimulans, of Java, is almost as poisonous, but they 

 are both exceeded by U. urentissa of Timor, the effects of which are said to 

 last for a whole year, and even in some cases to cause death. 



The medical qualities of these plants are not remarkable, though several 

 of them have been employed. TJrtica dioica is esteemed diuretic and astrin- 



