CUSSO OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 145 



durango^ a milky, twining climber of the Swallowwort family 

 (Asclepiadacese), famed in JSTew Grenada and other parts of 

 tropical America as a cure for cancer. 



Curare or Ourare Poison. {Bm Urari ) 



Curatella, a genus of small trees of the family Dilleniacese. 

 G. ameo^icana is a native of the Savannahs of Gruiana. It has 

 rongh leaves, nsed by the Indians as a substitute for sand-paper 

 to polish their blow-pipes, war-clubs, etc. ; hence it has received 

 the name Curatahie, from which the generic name Curatella 

 is derived. 



Currant, Black {Biles nigrum), Red (E. ruh^um), and 

 White a variety of the latter. Deciduous bushy shrubs of 

 the Gooseberry family (Grossulariace^e), natives of many parts of 

 Europe, ISTorth and West Asia, and North America, and found 

 wild in some parts of this country. By cultivation their fruits 

 have been greatly improved. They are u.sed in the fresh, ripe 

 state as a cooling dessert fruit, as well as for tarts, wine, etc., 

 besides which many tons are made into preserves, especially of 

 the red and black sorts. Currant is also the commercial name 

 of the small variety of the grape-vine which comes from the 

 island of Corinth, the word currant being a corruption of Corinth. 

 (See Vine.) 



Cuscus, Khus-Khus, or Koosa, the Indian name of Andro- 

 fogonmuricatuSj a perennial tufted grass of great economical use 

 in India, its fibrous roots being woven into a kind of fabric, 

 used as blinds to keep flies and mosquitoes, as well as hot, dry 

 winds, out of rooms and verandahs. Occasionally sprinkled 

 with water, they emit a pleasant perfume. 



Cusso, the Abyssinian name for Hagenia abyssinica, a tree 

 of the Eose family (Kosace^). The Abyssinian traveller 

 Bruce describes it as one of the most beau.tiful and handsome 

 trees of that country. Its properties are powerfully anthel- 

 mintic, and it is very efficacious in expelling worms, not only 

 tape- worms, but the kind called Ascarides, to which the Abys- 

 sinians are very subject. It is a moderate-sized tree, with winged 

 leaves. 



