43 



PAS SIFLOEA— continued. 



minima, Jacq. ; el. ; South America. B. 



quadrangularis, Linn. ; Granadilla ; cl. ; Tropical America. A. B. 



Besides bearing an excellent fruit, it is said that the roots of this climber possess powerful 

 narcotic properties, for which the plant is cultivated in Brazil. 



var. Decaisneana. A.B. 

 macrocarpa. A.B. 

 racemosa, Brote. ; cl. ; South America. A. 

 trifasciata, Lem. ; cl. ; South America. A. 



TACSONIA, Juss. 



exoniensis, Hort. ; cl. A.B. 



Yan Volxemi, Funcke ; cl. ; New Granada. A.B. 



Teibe PaPAYACEjE. 

 CABICA, Linn. 



Papaya, Linn. ; Papaw-tree ; tr. ; South America. A.B. 



Cultivated for its fruit. The tree is said to have the property of rendering meat tender by its 

 being soaked in its juice or by suspending the joints under it. The milky juice is considered a 

 powerful vermifuge, but should be used with care. The leaves are used instead of soap for clean- 

 ing linen. The seeds have a pungent flavour, and are said to be an efficacious vermifuge. 

 "Papaine, a preparation from this plant, is a remedy now largely used in cases of diphtheria and 

 deranged digestion of the stomach. Up to the present time papaine has proved serviceable in the 

 treatment of the following diseases : — External carcinomatous tubercles, which it is employed to 

 dissolve ; in diphtheria, for the dissolution of the croupous false membrane. Koth and Asehbach 

 report favourable results in fifty-three cases of this disease. Rossbach advises that in bad attacks 

 of croup a solution of papaine, made as strong as possible, should be kept in constant contact 

 with the exudation by painting it over the latter, and dropping it into the nose and mouth every 

 five minutes. In France it has been employed to assist digestion in cases of dyspepsia and other 

 gastric internal diseases, both in adults and children. Vomiting is also relieved quickly by small 

 doses when it arises from indigestion." — Christy's New Commercial Plants and Drugs. If the pre- 

 paration is not at hand, the pure fresh juice of the plant is recommended in cases of indigestion. 



Order CUCURBITACEJE. 



(Gourd Family.) 



The plants of this order possess generally a certain amount of acridity ; many are powerful 

 purgatives, while others are useful and agreeable fruits. 



Teibe Cucumeeineje. 

 TBICHOSANTHES, Linn. 



pentaphylla, F. v. M. ; cl. ; Queensland. B. 



LAGENABIA, Ser. 



vulgaris, Ser. ; Bottle Gourd ; an. ; East India, &c. B. 



Pulp of fruit poisonous. 



LUFF A, Cav. 



segyptiaca, Mill. ; an. ; Tropics. B. 



The fruit of this plant forms the vegetable sponge or towel. The part used is the vascular 

 network of the fruit ; this is used as a bath-sponge and scrubbing-brush, also to strain palm oil, 

 and is worked up into light ornamental baskets, &c. 



MOMOBDICA, Linn. 



Balsamina, Linn. ; Balsam Apple ; an. B. 



Charantia, Linn. ; Margoze ; an. ; East India and China. B. 



mixa, Roxb. ; cl. ; East India and China. B. 



CUCUMIS, Linn. 



melo, Linn. ; Melon ; an. ; Asia. A.B. 



sativus, Linn. ; Cucumber ; an. ; East India. A.B. 



CITBULLUS, Schrad. 



vulgaris, Schrceder ; Water Melon ; an. ; Asia. A.B. 



