Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Feb.,  1891. 
Useful  Plants  of  Algeria. 
77 
Conium  maculatum.  The  Arabs  employ  the  seeds  of  this  plant  as 
sedative,  under  the  name  of  Harmel,  which  is  that  of  Pcganum 
Harmala. 
.  Coriandrum  sativum. — The  Arabs  employ  the  leaves  of  this  plant 
instead  of  parsley,  notwithstanding  its  strong  offensive  odor. 
They  collect  for  food,  under  the  generic  name  Of  "  Talronda,"  the 
tubercles  of  many  umbellifers,  Carum,  Bunium,  Balanscea,  etc. 
Composite. — Anacyclus  Pyrethrum  furnishes  a  pellitory  root, 
which  is  employed  by  the  Arabs  and  exported  from  Tunis  to  India 
in  large  quantities.  Pyrethrum  Willemoti  and  other  species,  the  pul- 
verized flower-heads  of  which  are  sold  as  insecticides,  succeed  well 
in  Algeria.  They  have  been  tried  for  the  destruction  of  an  insect 
called  Altise,  which  attacks  the  vine. 
Anthemis  nobilis,  the  Roman  chamomile,  is  found  wild,  but  that 
found  in  commerce  is  imported  from  Europe.  The  Arabs  employ 
for  the  same  purposes  Peridercea  fuscata,  Santoline  Chamcecypa- 
risstis,  S.  squarrosa,  etc. 
Diotis  candidissima  is  .sold  in  the  markets  as  a  febrifuge  and 
emmenagogue. 
Artemisia  arborescens  is  employed  in  medicine  by  the  Arabs,  and 
sold  in  all  the  markets.  The  roving  distillers  make  an  essence  of 
absinthe. 
Artemisia  Huba-alba  is  used  by  the  Arabs  as  Semen-contra.  The 
natives  also  use  many  other  corymbifera,  such  as  Pidicaria  mauri- 
tanica  with  a  strong  camphor  odor,  P.  dysentcrica  and  Inula  viscosa, 
Erigeron  canadense  and  Coryza  ambiguay  which  abound,  are  some- 
times employed  as  diuretics. 
Atractylis  gummifera.  This  plant  has  caused  many  deaths  by 
poisoning.  The  large  root  divided  furnishes  an  abundant  milky 
juice,  which  concretes  into  tears  like  small  nuts.  These  tears  pressed 
into  balls,  about  the  size  of  the  fist,  are  commonly  sold  for  bird  lime. 
The  artichoke,  which  is  found  wild,  furnishes  the  Arabs  with  food 
in  its  flower  heads  and  sides  of  the  leaves.  The  Warionia  Saliarce 
(Bentham),  is  employed  medicinally  by  the  natives. 
Ericaceae. — The  roots  of  Arbutus  Unedo  are  collected  in  small 
quantities  for  medical  use ;  the  leaves  are  used  for  tanning  skins. 
Solanace/E. —  Withania  somnifera  is  employed  at  the  Civil  Hospi- 
tal, Alger,  as  a  sedative  and  hypnotic.  The  seeds  are  diuretic.  The 
plant  contains  an  alkaloid,  which  is  probably  the  active  principle. 
