Flora Medica

EUPHORBIACEJE.which the purple, ovate, furrowed ovary is embedded ; style short ;stigmas 3, reflexed, furrowed, and plaited, white. Capsule ovate,3-cornered, tricoccous. Seeds elliptical, black, shining, with a thick,fleshy funiculus. Expressed juice dangerously poisonous. Feculaof the root harmless when separated from the juice and exposed to heat,becoming Cassava, a principalarticle of diet in South America. Thenutritious substance called Tapioca is the cassava differently preparedand granulated. These preparations are obtained by crushing the roots,after the bark has been removed and straining off the water, when themass is gradually dried in pans over the fire.ANDA.Flowers monoecious. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed. Petals5. $ Stamens 8 . ;filaments unequal, monadelphous at base.? . Style bifid ; stigmas 2. Fruit fleshy, containing a loopholed2-celled stone.379. Anda Gomesii A. de J. mon. euph. 39. Brazil.A large lactescent tree. Leaves quinate, with entire, ribbed, shining,stalked leaflets ;with the petioles furnished with 2 sessile glands at thedivision. Flowers panicled, terminal ;the males on stalks having each2 bracts and 2 glands ;the females somewhat sessile. Bark used forintoxicating fish. Seeds a safe and useful purgative in doses of 2 seeds;they have the taste of hazel nuts. The Brazilians use them instead ofcastor oil. The bark roasted passes as a certain remedy for diarrhoeabrought on by cold. According to Martius it is called Anda-acu, Indayacu,Purga de Gentio, Cocca, or Purga dos Paulistas, Frutta d'Arara inBrazil. Two or three seeds prepared as an emulsion, act as a verypowerful and safe purgative they seldom excite ; vomiting. It has beenfound extremely efficacious in weakness of the lymphatic system, andparticularly in general dropsy.HEVEA.Flowers monoecious. Calyx 5-cleft or parted. Petals 0.$ . Stamens columnar, 5-10, with the anthers below the apex.5 . Stigmas 3, 2-lobed. Fruit somewhat fleshy, tricoccous.A. de J.380. H. guianensis Aubl. ii. 871. t. 3315. Siphonia CahuchuWilld. iv. 567. Siphonia elastica Pers. syn. ii. 588. Jatrophaelastica Linn, suppl. 422. Poa Seringa Act. Par. 1751. t. 20Woods of Guayana.A tree with a trunk 50-60 feet high, and 2-2 in diameter.Leaves alternate, approximated, 3-foliolate, articulated at the top of along slender stalk, convex below, furrowed above, and swelled at itsbase ; leaflets smooth, oval, acute, green above, cinereous beneath.Fruit oblong, greenish, 3-cornered, broadest at the base, tricoccous,each coccus opening with 2 valves. Seed ovate, brownish variegatedwith black, with a thin brittle testa, and a sweet nut-like pleasantkernel. Seeds are said to produce no inconvenience when eaten.This plant produces the common Demerara and Surinam Caoutchouc,which is imported in bottles and other forms. The cheese Caoutchoucis probably furnished by some other tree or trees.186