view adopted by Endlicher, myself formerly, and many others. I confess, however, that a more attentive study of the Order and its affinities has greatly weakened this opinion, and that I cannot but consider that there is no very strongly marked affinity to be traced between Birthworts and other plants. En dlicher compares them, with some justice, to Yams and Taccads, but they are most certainly dicotyledonous. Their regularly ternary structure and incompletely formed wood indicate, however, a strong tendency towards the condition of Dictyogens, and perhaps they may be looked upon as the best point of transition to that class from Exogens. It is in some measure on that account that they have been placed in this arrangement last in the whole series, and therefore at a point where we may suppose that the chain of Orders must return into itself. If their association with Sandalworts and Loranths should be objected to, I would submit that the correspondence of these Orders in their epigynous apetalous flowers, and minute embryo in copious albumen, are circumstances of agreement of no mean importance, and that it is at present impossible to discover any better station for either of the three Orders. Very common in the equinoctial parts of South America, and rare in other countries; found sparingly in North America, Europe, and Siberia; more frequently in the basin of the Mediterranean, and in small numbers in India. Birthworts are in general tonic and stimulating; Aristolochia is, as its name implies, considered emmenagogue, especially the European species rotunda, longa, and Fig. DXXVI. Clematitis. An infusion of the dried leaves of Aristolochia bracteata, a nauseously bitter plant, is given by native Indian practitioners as an anthelmintic; fresh, bruised and mixed with castor oil, they are considered as a valuable remedy in obstinate psora. The root of A. indica is supposed by the Hindoos to possess emmenagogue and antarthritic virtues; it is very bitter. The A. fragrantissima, called in Peru, Bejuca de la Estrella, or Star Reed, is highly esteemed in Peru as a remedy against dysenteries, malignant inflammatory fevers, colds, rheumatic pains, &c. The root is the part used. The power of the root of A. serpentaria in arresting the progress of the worst forms of typhus, is highly spoken of by Barton; it has an aromatic smell, approaching that of Valerian, with a warm, bitterish, pungent taste. It acts as a stimulant, tonic, diaphoretic, and in certain cases as an antispasmodic and anodyne. It is peculiarly useful in supporting the strength and in allaying the irregular action which attends great febrile debility. Dr. Chapman considers it "admirably suited to check vomiting and to tranquillise the stomach, more particularly in bilious cases." As its name implies, it is used as an antidote to serpent bites, a quality in which several other species participate, among which may be mentioned the A. trilobata, a Jamaica plant, also employed as a sudden and powerful sudorific, and the Carthagena A. anguicida, concerning which Jacquin writes, that the juice of the root chewed and introduced into the mouth of a serpent so stupifies it that it may for a long time be handled with impunity; if the reptile is com Fig. DXXVI.-Bragantia Blumei. 1. a section of its wood; 2. one of its flowers; 3. a seed; 4. the same divided perpendicularly; 5. anthers and stigma of Asarum. pelled to swallow a few drops it perishes in convulsions. The root is also reputed to be an antidote to serpent-bites. This plant is probably the celebrated Guaco of the Colombians, concerning whose supposed efficacy as an alexipharmic, so much has been said by Humboldt and others: at least a leaf of what is either this species, or one closely allied to it, has been given me by Dr. Hancock as the genuine Guaco. It is not a little remarkable that the power of stupifying snakes, ascribed in Carthagena to A. anguicida, should be also attributed to A. pallida, longa, boetica, sempervirens, and rotunda, which are said to be the plants with which the Egyptian jugglers stupify the snakes they play with. In medicine these plants are slightly aromatic stimulating tonics, useful in the latter stages of low fever; the taste is bitter and acrid; the odour strong and disagreeable; they are said to be sudorific, and have been employed as emmenagogues in amenorrhoea. The stimulating qualities of Birthworts seem to reach their maximum in A. cymbifera, labiosa, ringens, galeata, and macroura, Brazilian species, whose roots have a very penetrating, disagreeable smell, like that of Rue, and a strong, bitter, aromatic taste, producing almost entirely the same effects as the Virginia snake-root (A. serpentaria). They are very frequently used in Brazil against ulcers, paralytic affections of the extremities, dyspepsy, impotentia virilis, in nervous and intermittent fevers, especially those in which a predominant disorder of the pituitous membrane, or the whole lymphatic system has been observed. A. grandiflora, a fœtid Jamaica species, is said by Swartz to be poisonous to hogs. For the qualities of other species see Martius Mat. Med. Bras. 107. One of the Asarabaccas, or Asarums, is analogous in its action, viz. A. canadense, which is a warm aromatic stimulant and diaphoretic ; but A. europæum is said to be purgative, emetic, and diuretic; it is called Cabaret in France, because, as it is said, the frequenters of pot-houses use it to produce vomiting. Bragantia tomentosa, an intensely bitter plant, is used in Java as an emmenagogue, according to Horsfield. Democritea, Fl. Fl. Matthisonia, Radd. Morelosia, Llar, 11 Octas, Jack. Palladia, Lam. Blackwellia, Gärtn. Pentaceras, C. F. W. Meyer. Pholisma, Nutt. 12 Rapourea, Aubl. Camar, Schreb. Reussia, Endl. 13 Rotula, Lour. POLYPETALOUS. Allasia, Lour. 14 Ballingayum, Blanco, 15 Eurila, Blanco. Floscopa, Lour. Griselinia, Forst. 15* Scopolia, Forst. Heptaca, Lour. Hippomanica, Molin. Lanneoma, Del. Macharisia, Thouars. Sassia, Molin. Spirospermum, Thouars, 16 Tampoa, Aubl. Trisecus, Willd. Trujanoa, Llav, et Lex. GENERA ALTOGETHER UNDESCRIBED. Donatophorus, Zipp. Dulacia, Fl. Fl, 18 Hesioda, Fl. Fl. Isopteris, Wall. Ivonia, Fl. FL. Peltocarpus, Zipp. Petalostemma, R. Br. Platystigma, R. Br. Pometia, Fl. Fl. 1 Adelanthus, Endl., according to Planchon, is identical with Pyrenacantha Hook. Brown in Pl. Jav. rar., iv. 244, confirms their identity. J. Miers. 2 Menispermaceæ, DC., but excluded by Miers; see p. 309. 4 Near Forestiera, Benth.; but the 6 Not Scrophulariaceæ, because of its 7 Referred in flowers are and the fruit is unknown. 1-celled capsule and the situation and proportion of the stamens, G. B. 9 See my observations on 8 Styracea, Endl. this work to Fir-rapes? p. 452. 11 Styraceæ, Endl. this genus in Annals of Natural Hist. 2nd ser. ix. 130. I have there suggested 10 Styraceæ, Endl. Hamamelidaceae as its position. J. Miers. 12 Certainly not a Broom-rape; no doubt very near Corallophyllum; see p. 452. 14 Cucurbitaceæ, Endl.; but the ovary is free? and the 15 Is the same as 13 Pontederaceæ, Endl. 15 To Cornaceæ, flowers. Arnott supposes the description to be erroneous. my Mackaya, which is Erythropetalum Blume. G. Walker Arnott. 16 Menispermaceæ, Endl., but excluded by Miers; see near Aucuba. J. D. Hooker. 17 Carpothales, see Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. i. 20, where it is misprinted p. 309. Carporhales lanceolata, E. M.; it should be Carpothales lanceolata, a synonym of 18 Dulacia singularis, Fl. Flum. i. tab. 78, is Liriosma Kraussia floribunda, Harvey. 19 This is the Vestia Lycioides. Velloziana; see A.DC. in Prodr. viii. 673. J. Miers. J. Miers. |