Flora Medica

JESCULACEJE.ing the insertions of the filaments. Stamens as in the" male. Ovarysuperior, ovate, 3-celled, with one ascending ovule in each cell. Styleshort. Stigma 3-cleft, recurved, slender, downy. Drupe the size of anutmeg, a little pointed, covered with a tender, dry, grey pericarp.Seeds ], 2, or 3, oblong, smooth, at the base obliquely truncate, andthere affixed, each surrounded with its proper, whitish, pulpy aril, whichis of a pleasant acid taste, and most grateful during dry weather.Bark astringent rubbed ; up with oil the natives of India use it to curethe itch. The pulpy subacid aril is edible and palatable.^ESCULACE^E.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 84.jESCULUS.Calyx campanulate. Petals 4-5, expanded, with an ovatelimb. Filaments curved inwards. Capsules prickly. Leafletssessile or nearly so.246. M. Hippocastanum Linn. sp. pi. 488. DC. prodr.i. 597.N. and E. handb. iii. .p. pi. med. t. 375. S. and C. ii. t. 68.North of India ? Persia ? More likely some of the northeasternprovinces of Turkey.A middle sized round-headed tree. Leaves opposite, long-stalked,leaflets obovate-lanceolate, acuminate, rather thin and digitate ;rugose,coarsely and irregularly serrated, increasing in size from the end tothe centre. Calyx light green, campanulate, obtusely 5-toothed. Petals5, white, oblong, unguiculate, fringed, wavy, with a small red spotabove the claw. Filaments shorter than the" petals, subulate ;anthersreddish brown, oblong. Capsule roundish, prickly, thick and tough,3-valved, 1-2-3-celled, containing 1-2-3 large, oblong, deep chesnutbrownseeds, with a large broad space forming a hilum. Embryo curved ;radicle bent down towards the hilum upon the thick fleshy cotyledonswhich are wrinkled and firmly consolidated. Bark recommended as avaluable febrifuge in intermittent and other fevers ; it deserves to bethe subject of a series of well-conducted experiments a;decoction hasbeen recommended in gangrene ;and itspowder as an errhine.124