Flora Medica

CINNAMOMUM.parts of the Moluccas as well ; not found in Java, or the Papuanislands. Blume.Bark when rubbed aromatic, like cloves, but less pungent andsweeter, when chewed rather bitter and mucous. Leaves ovate orlanceolate-oblong, finely acuminate, rather acute at the base, smooth,obscurely netted underneath, with the lateral nerves vanishing at thepoint. Racemes compound, or rather cymes trichotomous, terminal oraxillary, few-flowered. Segments of the calyx deciduous below theapex. Bl. This is the tree that yields the true Culilawan bark ofwhich Dr. Blume has given a medical account in the "Tydschrift voornatuurlyke Geschiedenis van J. Van der Hoeven, en W. H. De Vriese,Amst. 1834. p. 46." This learned Botanist speaks of the " egregiaehujus remedii virtutes in quibusdam morbis sanandis." For the followingmemorandum concerning it I am indebted to Mr. Pereira: "Culilawanbark is an aromatic stimulant like Cassia, with some astringency and aflavour of cloves. It owes its medicinal activity to a combination ofvolatile oil, resin, and bitter extractive. It is useful, as a carminativeand stomachic, in dyspeptic complaints, especially when given in combinationwith the bitter tonics. It has been used in atonic gout, inold diarrhoeas, &c. The dose of it in substance is from 10 grains to ^a drachm. The tincture of the Wirtemberg Pharmacopoeia is preparedby digesting 4 ounces of bark in 1^ pint of :spirit the dose is 1 or 2fluid drachms. The oil prepared by distillation may be used as the oilsof cloves, cassia, &c. The natives of Amboyna employ it internallyin paralysis of the bladder, and externally as a stimulating liniment incontusions, paralysis, and arthritic complaints." It appears, from theinvestigations of Blume, that the Culilawan bark of the shops consistsof a mixture of several Indian Barks, especially those of C. Sintocjavanicum and xanthoneurum ; a confusion of no great importancehowever, since " tales cortices inter se quam maxime sint similes etmagis etiam virtutibus medicis congruant."680. C. rubrum Blume Rumphia xxix. t. 11. f. 1. LaurusCaryophyllus Lour, cochinch. i. 308.? Along with the last,and probably also in Cochin-china.A middle sized tree. Leaves oblong or lanceolate, very long-pointed,acute at the base, 3-nerved or shortly triple-nerved, smooth, with thenerves running nearly through to the point. Racemes compound, orrather cymes trichotomous, terminal or axillary, few-flowered. Segmentsof the calyx permanent in the fruit. Bl. Bark similar tothat of C. Culilawan, and hardly inferior. Loureiro says it containsmuch more essential oil than that of Cinnamon, and smells of cloves,but is not so agreeable.681. C. Sintoc Blume bijdr. 571. Rumphia xxx. txii. N. ab E.laurin. 61. Nilgherry Mountains ; higher mountains of Java.A tree 80 feet high. Leaves ovate or lanceolate-oblong, bluntlyacuminate, (those next the flowers ovate and obtuse), scarcely acute atthe base, triple-nerved, smooth, obscurely netted beneath; the lateralnerves often bifid at the base, and vanishing towards the point. Panicleor compound cyme terminal, spreading, covered with a brown velvetynap. Segments of the calyx deciduous at the base. The bark is inquality very like that of the true Culilawan, aromatic in the samedegree, but less agreeable, and with a more bitter after-taste ; it is331