Flora Medica

APOCYNACE^E.Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 299.* Fruit drupaceous.CERBERA.Calyx permanent, 5-parted, leafy. Corolla hypocrateriform;tube clavate ; throat 5-angled, with 5 scales ;limb 5-parted,contorted. Stamens 5, short, in the middle of the tube. Drupewith a hard, woody, fibrous, 1 2-seeded putamen.1110. C. Tanghin Hooker in Bot. Mag. t. 2968. TanghiniaThouars. gen. nov. mad. p. 10. Tanghinia venenifera Poiret inencycl. suppl. v. 283. Madagascar. (Voa Tanghin.)This constitutes a tree in its native climate, having crowded or clusteredleaves and erect branches. The leaves are from 4 to 6 and 8 or10 inches long, lanceolate, tapering at the base, subcoriaceous, quiteentire. Flowers in large terminal panicles, with white flowers, havinga tinge of rose-colour on the outside, and a deeper red circle round themouth. Calyx 5-fid, patent. Corolla longer than the calyx, funnelshaped,dilated upwards, \the limb plain, contorted, 5-lobed. Stamens5 ; anthers sessile, inserted into the dilated part of the tube, heartshaped,having a tubercle under each. Ovary double. Style single.Stigma capitate, with 2 tubercles at the point, included within the anthers.Drupes 2, or by abortion solitary, pyriform, acuminated. Nutfilamentous, woody. Albumen none. Cotyledons long, thick, concave.Thouars. The kernel of the fruit a deadly poison; although notlarger than an almond it is sufficient to destroy 20 people. It was usedin Madagascar as'an ordeal, but the practice is now discontinued. N.B.It is very doubtful whether this is different from the next species.1111. C. Manghas Linn. sp. pi. 303. Lam. i. encycl. 61.Gtertn. defruct.ii. t. 123. 124. (Burnt, zeylan. 150. t. 70. f. 1.Humph, ii. t. 81.) A common plantin wet situations in theEast Indies.Leaves broad-lanceolate, stalked, smooth, entire, clustered at theends of the branches. Racemes terminal, branched, unequal. Calyxwith lanceolate, coloured, deciduous leaves. Corolla white, with atube longer than the calyx, and a limb shorter than the tube. Anthersovate, quadrangular, covered by the wool of the tube. Druoe as largeas a goose's egg, ovate, green, marked with numerous white points, compressed.Seeds 2, as large as chesnuts. The kernels are emetic andpoisonous the ; milky sap is employed as a purgative. According toWaiz the leaves and bark are so similar to Senna in their action thatthey are substituted for it in Java.1112. C. Ahovai Linn, has also very poisonous seeds. Thebark and sap are^emetic and narcotic.