oct. — dec. 1857.] Scienti/ic Intelligence. 



141 



description given of the physic-nut, which is stated to be sweet like al- 

 monds.— John Balfour. 



A single glance at the specimens, which the letter enclosed, sufficed to 

 show (that they had nothing to do with Jatropha multifida, but) that they 

 belonged to one of the Apocynaceae, and a short search through the Univer- 

 sity Herbarium enabled me to identify the plant as Tlievetia neriifolia, 

 Juss. Ann. Mus. 346. 



This is a species well known throughout India, more commonly under 

 its older synonyme of Cerbera Thevetia, Linn. It occurs in almost a]£ 

 the collections from India, which are in the University Herbarium. In 

 Hamilton Buchanan's Catalogue, where it forms No. 718, under Willde- 

 now's name of Cerbera Thevetia, there is the following account of it : — 



( Hab. in hortis Magadhae. Simillima certe plantae quae, ex America, 

 alata, in horto botanico prope Calcuttam colitur, et perhibent Bfahmani 

 plantain in scriptis suis antiquis bene esse cognitam.' 



On the tally, however, accompanying the specimen to which this refers, 

 there is written — 



1 This really was introduced by Dr. Roxburgh, but is called the yellow 

 oleander, and supposed to have come from Nepal. Patna, 22d April 1812.' 



The affirmation made in the catalogue, that it resembles a species brought 

 from America, appears to be true ; for, on comparing it with a Cerbera 

 from Peru, in the University Herbarium, sent as Cerbera peruviana (Ma- 

 thews' Catalogue, 442), I can see no trace of difference between the two 

 plants," and this is the opinion maintained in De Candolle's Prodromus, 

 where, under Thevetia neriifolia, are given not only Cerbera Thevetia, 

 but C. peruviana, as synonymes. 



O'Shaugnessy states that Cerbera Thevetia is ' said to be powerfully fe- 

 brifuge, two grains being affirmed to be equal to a common dose of Cin- 

 chona,' [Beng. Dispensatory, p. 447.] 



Dr. B. subsequently wrote " that young M — , one of the poisoned, who 

 had been subject to ague up to the time of eating the seeds, has had none 

 since. True, the aguish tendency was much weakened, but perhaps the 

 poisoning did him good." 



Almost every Indian plant possessed of bitterness, is said, if not in 

 India, at least in books, to be reputed febrifuge ; and as to its effects on 

 young M , it need hardly be remarked, that a periodic disease, espe- 

 cially if on the wane, might be readily broken up by any agent producing 

 such a commotion in the constitution as in this case. 



