Flora Medica

XAN THOXYLLACE^E.with sometimes 2 glands at the base of the leaflets. Flowersin axillaryor terminal racemes or panicles. W. and A.448. T. aculeata Pers. synops.i. 249. DC. prodr.ii. 83.W. and A. i. 149. Paullinia aculeata Linn. sp. pi. 524.Scopolia aculeata Smith ic. ined. 34. Roxb.fi. ind. i. 616.(Rheede v, t. 41. Burm. Zeyl. t. 24.) A common bush inmanyparts of India.Stem irregular, corky, climbing. Prickles innumerable, scatteredover every part of the younger branches, tender shoots, petioles, andnerves of the leaflets, recurved, very acute. Leaves alternate ; leafletsternate, oblong, or broad-lanceolate, notched, emarginate, smooth, 1inch long, and J or f broad. Petioles channelled. Racemes axillary,generally compound, length of the leaves. Flowers small, white.Calyx inferior, small, glandular, 5-toothed. Petals 5, oblong, spreading.Filaments 5, nearly as long as the petals, spreading. Anthersoblong, incumbent. Ovary ovate, 5-celled, with 2 ovules in each cell.Style short, thick. Stigma 5-lobed. Berry the size of a small cherry,compressed, 5-grooved, orange-coloured, 5-celled. Seed 1 in eachcell. All the parts very pungent, especially t^ie roots when fresh cut.The fresh leaves are eaten raw for pains in the bowels ;the ripe berriesare fully as hot as black pepper, and with nearly the same kind ofpungency j they are pickled by the natives. The fresh bark of theroot is administered by the Telinga physicians, for the cure of that sortof remittent commonly called the hill fever. " I conceive every partof this plant to be possessed of strong stimulating powers, and haveno doubt but under proper management it might prove a valuablemedicine where stimulants are required." Roxb.BRUCEA,Flowers unisexual. Calyx 4 -par ted. Petals 4, hardly so longas the calyx. $ . Stamens 4, short, arranged round a centralglandular body.. Stamens 4, sterile. Ovaries 4, placed ona 4-lobed receptacle ; each with an acute reflexed style. Drupes4, each 1- seeded.449. B. sumatrana Roxb. jft.ind. i. 449. DC. prodr.ii. 88.Gonus amarissimus Lour. cock. ii. 809. (Rumph. vii. t. 15.)Sumatra, the Moluccas and Cochinchina.Leaves alternate, unequally-pinnate, from 12 to 18 inches long.Leaflets from 4 to 6 pair, opposite, short-stalked, obliquely ovatelanceolate,coarsely and obtusely serrated, pointed, villous underneath,from 3 to 6 inches long, very bitter, and somewhat foetid. Petiolesround and villous. Stipules none. Racemes axillary, solitary, from1 to 6, or 8 inches long, somewhat compound, dark purple, and clothedwith a few white hairs. Flowers numerous, very minute, dark purple.Bracts subulate, hairy, very small, and deciduous. Calyx 4-leaved, ordeeply 4-parted. Segments small, ovate-lanceolate, deep purple, hairyon the outside, and with the petals becoming reflexed. Petals 4,longer than the calyx, lanceolate, dark purple, and hairy on the outside.Disk a dark purple, 4-lobed, fleshy cup surrounding the base of theovaries. Filaments 4, short, purple, inserted under the margin of the218