76        Materia  Medica  of  the  Mexican  Pharmacopoeia.  {Am-Fe°bU!'i£6.arm* 
in  the  dry  state  readily  attacked  by  insects.  It  is  used  as  a  substitute 
for  the  root  of  Smilax  China,  Lin.,  the  decoction  being  employed  in 
dropsy  and  as  a  diaphoretic  and  depurative. 
Eaiz  del  manso,  Echinacea  heterophylla,  Don,  Helianthus  glutino- 
sus,  Fl.  Mex.  ined.;  Composite;  in  Puebla,  &c.  Cal  (Mat.  Med. 
Mex.,  1832)  describes  the  root  as  being  tuberous,  cylindrical,  extern- 
ally gray  and  striate,  internally  white,  becoming  yellowish;  when  cut 
in  the  fresh  state  it  has  an  odor  resembling  turpentine  and  emits  a 
sticky  juice,  which  on  drying  is  resinous.  It  contains  12*11  resin, 
15*62  gum,  and  46*87  extractive.  It  has  considerable  reputation  as  a 
vulnerary,  and  the  decoction  is  used  in  dysentery.  The  resin  has  a 
clove-like  color,  a  saffron-like  odor,  and  a  taste  which  is  bitter,  after- 
ward acrid  and  persistent. 
Romeritos,  Chenopodina  linearis,  Moquin;  Chenopodiaceaa ;  in  Cen- 
tral Mexico.  The  leaves  are  used  for  emollient  cataplasms  and  as  a 
pot-herb. 
Rubia  laevigata,  Be  Cand.,  grows  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
capital,  and  has  the  same  tinctorial  properties,  though  in  a  less  degree 
than  the  madder  of  commerce. 
Sagitaria,  Sagittaria  sagittsefolia,  Lin.  Alismacese;  in  the  Mexican 
valley,  also  in  the  United  States.  The  rhizome  is  astringent;  the 
tubers  are  comestible  and  may  be  used  for  obtaining  starch. 
Salvia.  Instead  of  S.  officinalis,  Buddleia  globosa,  Lamarck,  Scro- 
phulariacese,  is  usually  found  in  the  shops  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  and 
the  salvia  poblana,  Verbena  callicarpiaafolia,  Kunth,  Verbenacea?,  is 
very  generally  employed.  The  latter  has  a  quadrangular  stem;  leaves 
opposite,  ovate-elliptic,  dentate,  rugose,  hairy  and  spiny  on  the  upper 
side,  and  covered  with  canescent  hairs  beneath;  bracts  large,  many- 
nerved,  of  a  handsome  violet  color;  calyx  bifid,  externally  villous  and 
hispid ;  corolla  elongated,  funnel-shaped,  glandular  above ;  odor  strong 
and  agreeable ;  taste  pungent  and  somewhat  bitter. 
In  other  parts  of  the  country  the  following  species  are  employed : 
Salvia  polystachya,  Ortega,  in  Guadalajara;  S.  chrysantha,  Martius,  in 
Oaxaca;  S.  aspera,  Martius,  in  Tehuacan;  S.  Sessei,  Bentham,  in 
Tuxpam;  S.  regia,  Cavanilles,  in  Villalpando  and  Aguascalientes ;  S. 
fulgens,  Cav.,  in  the  Mexican  valley,  <fec. 
Samatito,  Ficus  complicata,  Kunth;  Urticacese;  in  hot  districts.  The 
milk  juice  is  used  as  a  resolvent,  the  same  as  that  of  F.  benjamina, 
Lin.,  which  is  commonly  known  as  "amate." 
