CAMPHOR OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 81 



planted as a sMter for tea plants, and its leaves are frequently 

 mixed -witli tea. The flowers are sweet-scented, and the Chinese 

 have an idea that they scent the tea leaves. The seeds of 

 Camellia contain an oil which is much used for domestic purposes 

 in China. 



Camomile or Chamomile {Anthemis noUUs), a perennial 

 much-branched herb with daisy-like flowers ; it belongs to the 

 Composite family (Compositae). It is a native of Britain, and 

 is extensively cultivated for its flower-heads. It is extremely 

 bitter, and is highly prized as a tonic, Chamomile tea being 

 well known to restore the appetite. The flowers are also used 

 in fomentations. 



Camphire. — The sweet-smelling Camphire of Solomon is 

 asserted to be Lawsonia alba, a shrub of the family Lythrace^,. 

 native of Western Asia, Egypt, and the African coasts of the 

 Mediterranean ; it has also become indigenous in India. It was 

 in ancient repute as a cosmetic under the Arabic name of Henna. 

 The leaves are powdered and made into a paste, and used in 

 Egypt for colouring the finger nails and the hair and beards 

 imparting a yellow colour, which is considered to add to the 

 beauty. The manes of horses have even been coloured with it. 

 This practice has descended from very remote ages, as proved by 

 the fact of Henna having been found in Egyptian mummies. In 

 Jamaica it has become naturalised and is called Jamaica Mignon- 

 ette. It is cultivated in Egypt, and bunches of its flowers are 

 sold in the streets of Cairo, their scent being like that of roses. 

 In its wild state it is sometimes spiny, and is known under the 

 names of L, spinosa and Z. alba, but they are now considered to 

 be forms of only one species. 



Camphor, Common, of China, is the produce of Cinnamo- 

 mum Oamjphora, a taU tree of the Laurel family (Lauracese), 

 with ovate, acuminate, smooth, ribbed, evergieen leaves, a native 

 of China and Japan. The roots, stem, and leaves of the tree 

 have an aromatic odour, and contain the substance called 

 Camphor, which is obtained in two ways ; first, by cutting up the 

 whole of the tree into smaU pieces and boiling them in a trough 



