Flora Medica

STRYCHNOS.informs me that Dr. Christison has lately found it identical with bark ofStrychnos Nux Vomica, obtained from India for comparison.* Blumeis of opinion that a great part of the Lignum colubrinum of commerceconsists of the thick roots, and wood of the middle-sized branches ofthis species, more than of other. anyThe poisonous principlein thisand other plants of the genus is the Strychnia of chemists.1115. S. Colubrina Linn. sp. pi 271. Roxb. ind. i.fl. 577.Blume Rumphiai. 70. Modira Caniram Rheede viii. t. 24.Malabar, and probably in Ceylon. (Naga Musadi of the Telingas.)Stem of great size, often from 8 to 12 inches in diameter; the wood hard,intensely bitter and of a light grey colour ; the plant with its numerousramifications climbs over the highest trees. Bark ash-coloured, moreor less scabrous, according to the age and size of the part of the youngshoots, smooth and green. Tendrils lateral, simple, becoming thick andLeaves opposite, short petioled, from oval to oblong, entire,r:ous. sely acuminate, triple nerved nerves; extending to the apex, texturerather thin, glossy, from 3 to 6 inches long, by 2 or 3 broad.Stipules none. Corymbs terminal, small; composed of 2 or 3 pairs ofopposite, few flowered, short, villous branches. Flowers small, greenishyellow,in a subternary order. Bracts one under each division andsub-division of the corymb, tapering, villous. Calyx 5-parted, clammy,with glandular pubescence. Corolla infundibuliform, smooth. Tubecylindrical. Border 5-parted ; segments linear-oblong, spreading. Filamentsfive, short, inserted into the mouth of the tube of the corollaunder the fissures of its border. Anthers subsagittate. Ovary superior,ovate, smooth, 2-celled, with many ovules in each, attached to afleshy ridge down the middle of the partition. Style the length of thecorolla. Stigma capitate. Berry often as large as an orange, round ; inthe advanced state one cell only can be detected ;rind rather hardand brittle ;colour from a bright yellow to a dirty looking mixture ofyellow and dull brown. Pulp gelatinous and yellow. Seeds from 2to 12, orbicular, much flattened as in the Nux Vomica, peltate, nearlyan inch broad. Integuments 2 the exterior;one thin, but tough, andmost densely clothed with soft, short hairs, like the softest velvet ; theinterior one a very thin brown membrane. Albumen conform to theseed, united round the margins, the middle free; resembling twocotyledons, horny. Embryo straight, much smaller than the albumen,and lodged close to the umbilicus, which may be readily known by thehair being longer at that part, forming a tuft round it.Cotyledonscordate, 3-nerved. Radicle oval, pointing to the umbilicus (centripetal).Roxb. This is the most esteemed of all the Ligna colubrina by thenatives of India, and fetches so high a price among them as rarely tofind itsway to Europe it is the true Pao de Cobra of the Portuguese.The wood ; of the root is considered an infallible remedy for the bite ofthe Naga or Cobra de Cape/la, as well as for that of every other venomoussnake. It is applied externally, and at the same time giveninternally.It is also used in substance for the cure of intermittent* Since the above was written I have received the Madras Journal for April, 1837, in whichthere is a valuable note upon this subject by Dr. O'Shaughnessy, Professor of Chemistry inthe Medical College, Calcutta. This gentle'man confirms the statement that Nux Vomicabark and False Angostura are identical ;and he adds thatbrucea, which is extremely effectualin the cure of paralysis, atrophy, chronic rheumatism, sciatica, &c. may be procuredfrom it in great abundance.529 M M