276 



head, had succeeded the fainting. The liana 

 called vejuco du guaco % which Mr. Mutis has 

 rendered so celebrated, and which is the most 

 certain remedy for the bite of venomous serpents, 

 is yet unknown in these countries. A number 

 of Indians hastened to the hut of the sick man, 

 and he was cured with a a infusion of raiz de 

 mato. We cannot indicate with certainty what 

 plant furnishes this counterpoison. Travelling 

 botanists feel too often great regret at not seeing 

 in flower 01 in fruit the plants that are most useful 

 to man, while so many species little remarkable 

 for their properties are displayed daily before 

 our eyes with all the parts of fructification. I 

 am inclined to think, that the raiz de mato is an 

 apocynea, perhaps the cerbera thevetia, called 

 by the inhabitants of Cumana lingua de mato, 

 or contra-culebra, and which they also use against 

 the bite of serpents. A genus nearly approach- 

 ing the cerbera is employed in India for the 

 same purpose. It is common enough to meet in 



* It is a mikania, which was confounded for some time in 

 Europe with the ayapana. Mr. Bonpland has given the 

 first figure of it in our Plants Equinoct. vol. ii, p. 84, tab. 

 105, (Nov. Gen. t vol. 4, p. 107.) Mr. de Candolle thinks, 

 that the guaco may be the eupatorium satureiaefolium of 

 Lamarck {Encyclop. Bot. f vol. ii, p. 411) $ but this eupa- 

 torium differs by it's lineary leaves, while the mikania gua- 

 co has triangular, oval, and very large leaves. (De Cand., 

 Propr. med.y p. 180.) 



+ Ophioxylon serpentinum. 



