Flora Medica

CUCURBITACE.S:.straight ciliate bristles. Considered in Northern India a powerfuldrastic in cases of dropsy. Royle.BRYONIA.Flowers monoecious or dioecious. Petals hardly united at theb se. $ . Calyx 5-toothed. Stamens 3-adelphous ; anthersflexuose. ? . Style 3-fid. Fruit ovate or globose, smooth,few-seeded. Seeds ovate, scarcely compressed, more or lessedged. Tendrils simple, seldom forked.176. B. rostrata Rottl n. act. berol. iv. 212. DC. prodr.iii. 304. Tranquebar.Stem filiform, furrowed. Leaves cordate, obtuse, toothletted, scabrous.Peduncles axillary, solitary. Fruit ovate, angular, acuminate.Root prescribed in India as an astringent and emollient poultice incases of piles.It is also used as a demulcent in form of powder.Ainslie.177. B.albaZmw. sp. 621. Blackw. herb. t. 533. Lam. illustr.t. 796. DC. prodr.iii. 307. Vineyards and woods in themiddle and South of Europe,Root large, fleshy, white. Stem climbing. Leaves cordate, 5-lobed,angular, toothed, bristly with callosities on both sides. Flowers racemose,monoecious. Berries black. Properties like those of the next178. B. dioi'ca Jacq.fi.austr. t. 199. E. Bot. t. 439. Millie.71. S. and C. i. t. 64. B. alba Woodv. t. 189. Commont.in hedges. (Bryony;Wild vine.)Root large, long, fleshy, white. Stems annual, scabrous, scramblingamong bushes by aid of their tendrils. Leaves 3-4 inches broad, with5 angular lobes/rough all over with minute callosities. Flowers whitewith green veins, on panicled axillary stalks, male on one plant, femaleon another, when young but when old becoming monoecious. Berriessmall, scarlet, fetid when bruised. Root acrid and purgative, owingto the presence of an extractive matter called Bryonine, It producesviolent vomiting and purging, tormina, profuse watery evacuations, andfainting. It is not admitted into the British pharmacopoeias, but is afrequent instrument in the practice of quack doctors in the country.Burnett says it is sold in Covent Garden market as a discutient toremove the bruise of a blackened eye. Withering considers it one ofthe best cathartic medicines for horned cattle.MOMORDICA.Flowers monoecious, yellow or white. $ . Calyx 5-cleft,with a very short tube. Corolla 5-parted. Stamens triadelphouswith connate anthers. ? Filaments ; , 3, sterile.Style 3-fid. Ovary 3-celled. Fruit opening with elasticity whenripe. Seeds compressed, reticulated.179. M. Elaterium Linn sp. pi. 1434. Bot. mag.t. 1914.Blackio. herb. t. 108. S. and C. i. t. 34. 2irc uypu< Dioscor.Ecbalium officinale N. and E. handb. iii, 101. South of Europe.