ASCLEPIAS CURASSAVICA 
Wild Ipecacuanha. 
This plant probably introduced from South America is not at aii 
a ran- weed in the peninsula. It is a herb usually three or four feet 
tall, with narrow lanceolate leaves and a terminal head of very 
showy scarlet flowers with a bright yellow mass of stamens, (sta- 
mina! corona) in the form of a crown in the centre. The fruit is 
an ovoid lanceolate pod, which splits and emits a quantity of fiat 
seed with large silky plumes by which they drift about in the wind. 
Bring one of the asclepiadea ■, the whole plant is full of latex, 
which exudes wherever it is broken. The plants is a very pretty 
one and worth cultivating as an ornamental plant. It is known to 
the Malays as Bunga Mas; Malukut Faya, and Bunga Sabusuk. 
Thev do not seem however to make any use of.it. 
Dr. WATTS (Dictionary of Economic Products of India) says 
that besides 'the emetic properties of the root, the expressed juice 
of the leaves is a successful anthelmintic, and also is a sudorific. 
The juice of the flowers is said to he a good styptic, the root is also 
a purgative and after an astringent, thus it is used tor dysentery in 
Jamaica and the juice of the plant is useful in haemorrhages and 
obstinate gonorrhea. 
It has also been stated that if a dog be brushed down with a 
bunch of the plant it will be quite cleared of fleas. 
The plant is quite common on open sandy country in Singapore 
and Malacca and elsewhere. 
“ Wild Ipecac !' 
The unusually large arrival of 35 bales of a root known as wild 
‘'Ipecac” has taken place from Pernambuco, and although not 
offered at to-day's drug- auctions it was to be seen at the Crutched 
Friars drug- warehouse on Wednesday, when a certain amount of 
inter st was shown in it. The root is identical in appearance with a 
sample in the warehouse museum, which Ws known as Trinidad ipecac^ 
and came from that island. The late Mr. P. L. SlMMONS, in his 
work on drugs, states that the root ( Asclepias curassavica ) comes 
from the West Indies and Tropical America, ft is known as wild 
or bastard ipecac, and is used by the negroes as an emetic and pur- 
gative. From another source we learn that it abounds in the islands 
of St. Kitts and Nevis, W. [., where it is largely used as a medicine. 
Both the root and the expressed juice are emetic. Dr. Grain has 
found in the Asclepias curassavica a glucoside, asclepiadin , which he 
believes to be a pure form of asclepiadin of Harnack and the ascle- 
pin of Feneulle, and closely to resemble emetine in its physiological 
action, but to be so unstable as to be of no practical value. Wild 
ipecac similar in character to the present consignment has occasion- 
ally been offered in auction, and has usually been sold as "roots” 
at 'a few pence per lb., as nobody appear.^ to have gone to the ex- 
pense of having it analysed. That this wild ipecac is abundant 
needs no proof but on account of its pale colour it is not so readily 
