The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera
1889. "It is an oil very similar to oil of almond and owing to its
12005 words | Chapter 4
physical properties may be used as a substitute for the latter for
all the requirements of pharmacy. The only inconvenience connected
with its use is the slight one that it solidifies at 3° C. It could
furthermore be very advantageously used in the manufacture of fine
grades of soap." (D. A. del Rosario.)
The incised trunk exudes a gum-resin called _brea blanca_ (white
pitch) in the Philippines and _elemi_ in Europe. Until recently it
was not known in Europe what tree yielded the gum elemi, some authors
stating that according to Blanco it was the resin of the _Icica abilo_,
Blanco (_Garuga floribunda_, Decsne); it is not true, however, that
Padre Blanco ever attributed such origin to that product or named his
Icica the "pitch-tree." On the contrary in speaking of the Canarium,
Blanco states that it yields a resin called "pili-pitch." I do not
know the reason for this confusion of terms, but presume it to be
due to imperfect knowledge of Spanish on the part of those who thus
quote Blanco.
Pili-pitch, or elemi, as they call it in Manila, is a substance
existing in soft masses, slightly yellowish or gray, resembling old
honey in appearance. Its odor is strong and agreeable, somewhat like
that of lemon and turpentine. Its taste is acrid and bitter.
The French pharmacist Meaujean demonstrated in 1820 that elemi contains
two resins, one soluble in the cold, and the other in hot spirits of
wine. Other chemists, among them Baup, Flückiger and Hanbury, have
found elemi to be composed of a resinous substance and a colorless
essential oil; the proportion of the latter Flückiger gives as 10%
and further states that it is dextrogyrous. Sainte-Claire Deville found
the essential oil levogyrous, a fact that emphasizes the probability of
there being different products in the market bearing the name of elemi.
Baup obtained several principles from it: (1) A resin, _brein_,
fusible at 187°, soluble in cold alcohol, crystallizable in oblique
rhombic prisms; (2) another crystalline substance, _bryoidin_, soluble
in 360 parts water at 10°, and melting at 13°; (3) a small amount of
_breidin_, a body soluble in 260 parts water and melting at 100°+;
(4) another resin soluble in boiling alcohol, called _amyrin_.
White pitch is used in the Philippines to make plasters which they
apply to the back and breast of patients suffering from bronchial
or pulmonary complaints; it is also applied to indolent ulcers. We
believe that elemi possesses the same properties as copaiba, and that
its indications for internal use are the same.
Botanical Description.--A tree 30-40 meters high, with leaves
alternate, odd-pinnate; leaflets opposite, coriaceous. Flowers
yellowish-white in axillary, compound panicles, hermaphrodite. Calyx
3-toothed. Corolla, 3 oblong, concave petals. Stamens 6, inserted
on the base of the disc. Ovary free, of 3 lobules each containing 2
ovules. Style simple. Stigma, 3 lobules. Drupe oblong, size of large
prune, fleshy, containing a hard, 3-sided pit.
Habitat.--Very common in all Philippine woods especially in Camarines.
MELIACEÆ.
Melia Family.
_Melia Azedarach_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Paraiso_ (_Paradise_), Sp.-Fil.; _Pride of India_,
_China Tree_, Eng.
Uses.--The root was official in the U. S. P., 1880, as an anthelmintic;
it is administered in the following form:
Fresh root bark 120 grams.
Water 1 liter.
Boil till reduced one half.
Dose.--For a child 1 soup-spoonful every 15 minutes till nausea
is produced.
In view of the narcotic effects produced by this drug, the foregoing
method of administration seems to us imprudent; we prefer to give 30-70
grams of the decoction and follow with a purgative such as castor oil.
This drug is also tonic, febrifuge and astringent, and a decoction
of its leaves and flowers is used as a wash for ulcers. Some believe
that the leaves and fruit contain toxic principles, which may well be
true considering the effects of large doses of their preparations. It
has also been observed that the bark collected in March and April may
cause dilatation of the pupil, stupor, etc.; this may be explained
by the fact that at this season the sap is rising in the tree and
the bark contains an increased amount of active ingredients.
The fruit yields a fixed oil, and by fermentation and distillation
produces alcohol.
The root bark referred to is bitter and nauseous, if taken from the
superficial roots--the part usually employed; the bark of the deeper
parts is astringent by virtue of the contained tannin.
Jacobs analyzed the bark and isolated an amorphous resin of yellowish
color and very bitter taste. It is soluble in alcohol, ether and
chloroform, slightly soluble in sulphuret of carbon, insoluble in
turpentine or benzin. He believes that it is the active principle of
the root, and produces the anthelmintic action already mentioned:
the proper dose is 0.20 centigrams to a child of 4 years, followed
by a purge of calomel.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 30-40° high, with leaves alternate,
compound, odd-pinnate; leaflets opposite, ovate, pointed,
dentate. Flowers in large axillary compound panicles. Calyx,
5 sepals. Corolla, 5 petals, rose-colored within, lilac-colored
without. Stamens 10, united into a cylindrical tube, expanded at both
ends, the mouth 15-toothed. Anthers inserted near the apex of the
tube, short, fleshy, bilocular. Ovary free, of 5 biovuled cells. Style
of equal length with the tube. Stigma button-shaped. Fruit a drupe,
about the size of a small olive, yellow when ripe, with a dark brown
pit of 5 one-seeded cells.
Habitat.--Native of China; is cultivated in most gardens in the
Philippines.
_Dysoxylum Blancoi_, Vidal. (_D. salutare_, F. Villar; _Turroca
virens_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Igiw_, _Agiw_, _Taliatan_, Tag.; _Ananangtang_, _Bakugan_,
_Makasili_, Vis.; _Malabangaw_, Pam.; _Basiloag_, Iloc.
Uses.--The bark of the trunk, dry and finely powdered, is used in
doses of 1 1/2-2 1/2 grams as an emetic, and, according to Padre
Blanco, its effect is very certain.
It is also a febrifuge, and Padre Mercado states that it cures "all
forms of asthma, suffocative affections of the chest, and griping
pains of the belly." He also states that it yields marvelous results
in malarial fevers, given during the cold stage in doses of 4-8
grams in water or wine in which it has macerated 12 hours. He also
recommends its use before breakfast as an anthelmintic in lumbricoids,
and finally attributes to it virtues as an emmenagogue.
Padre Blanco calls attention to the species _D. schizochitoides_,
Turcz. (_Turroea octandra_, Blanco), _Himamaw_, Tag., as a substitute
for _D. Blancoi_.
The Tagalo "herb-doctors" pretend that the part of the bark near the
earth is doubly efficacious, for which reason they administer only
that portion which is within one meter of the ground, giving it in
the doses already mentioned.
Botanical Description.--Tree 16-20 meters high. Leaves
glabrous, odd-pinnate, petioles very long; leaflets entire,
opposite, short-petiolate, acute, oblique at the base. Flowers in
axillary panicles. Calyx, 5 imbricated sepals. Corolla, 5 linear,
lanceolate petals united at the base. Staminal tube, 10-toothed and
10-anthered. Ovary 5-celled, each cell containing two ovules. Style
somewhat longer than the stamens. Stigma thick and depressed. Seed
vessel globose, depressed, somewhat downy, 5-angled; with 5
compartments each containing 2 seeds.
Habitat.--Batangas and Laguna.
_Sandoricum Indicum_, Cav.
Nom. Vulg.--_Santol_, Tag.
Uses.--The santol is doubtless one of the best known fruits in
Manila. The most savory portion is the center, which consists of seeds
covered with a white pulp of a delicious flavor in the ripe fruit
of good quality. The fleshy covering is edible only in the center
of the fruit and only a very thin layer of that, the rest having
very little flavor. The whole fruit is used in making a confection
often prescribed as an astringent. Padre Mercado compares it very
appropriately to the quince. The root of the santol is aromatic,
stomachic and astringent, by virtue of which latter property it is
used in Java in the treatment of leucorrhoea.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 30-40° high, well known in the
islands. Leaves ternate; leaflets 4-5' long, half-ovate, obtuse,
entire, stiff and downy, the middle one elliptical. Flowers in
panicles. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla much longer than the calyx, 5
greenish petals, linear and curved downwards. Nectary a cylindrical
tube attached to the corolla for half its length, mouth 10-toothed,
containing 10 sessile anthers. Style somewhat longer than the
stamens. Stigma 5-parted. Fruit about size and form of a small apple,
thick, brown, pericarp indehiscent, 5 or more one-seeded compartments.
Habitat.--Grows in all parts of the islands, commonly along the roads.
_Carapa Moluccensis_, Lam. (_Xylocarpus granatum_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Tabigi_, _Nigi_, _Kalumpang sa lati_, Tag.; _Migi_, Pam.
Uses.--The seeds contain a yellow oil, bitter and astringent, with a
characteristic odor, having a taste somewhat resembling the odor. In
decoction they are used for diarrhoea and dysentery, on account,
doubtless, of the tannin they contain. The dose is 1-2 seeds dried,
pounded and infused with 200 grams of sweetened water.
The bark, also bitter, is said to be useful in fevers.
In America they extract an oil from the species of the _C. Guianensis_,
Aubl., with which the negroes anoint themselves to keep away stinging
insects. Wood soaked in this oil is also proof against insects.
Botanical Description.--This tree, 20° high, grows in swampy
districts. Leaves opposite, abruptly pinnate. Two pairs of wedge-shaped
leaflets, entire and glabrous. Petiole very short. Calyx inferior,
4-5-toothed. Corolla, 4-5 concave petals, slightly notched at the
end. Nectary notched, ovate, 8-9-toothed. No filaments. Anthers
equal in number to the teeth of the nectary and inserted between
them. Ovary very thick, globose. Stigma shield-shaped. Drupe globose,
resembling a very large orange, 5 chambers, each containing 1, 2 or
more seeds, convex on one side and concave on the other, angular and
much crowded. Testa hard and porous.
Habitat.--Common throughout the Archipelago.
_Cedrela Toona_, Roxb. (_C. odorata_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Kalantas_, Tag., Pam.; _Lanigpa_, Vis.
Uses.--The infusion of the flowers is antispasmodic. The trunk bark
is an excellent astringent, and Dr. Waitz recommends it in extract
as a treatment for infantile diarrhoea, for which I also have found
it very useful. Blume says that it contains marked antispasmodic
virtues, and Dr. G. Kennedy confirms it. Other physicians of India,
among them Ros and Newton, have recommended the bark as a substitute
for cinchona, given dry in doses of 30 grams.
Infusion.--
Bark dry, pounded 30 grams.
Water 150 grams.
Filter and add:
Syrup of cinnamon 20 grams.
Dose.--Several dessert-spoonfuls a day.
The powdered bark is very useful as an application to indolent ulcers
which it instantly deodorizes; like powdered quinine it is used in
the treatment of superficial gangrene.
Botanical Description.--A large tree. Leaves odd-pinnate. Leaflets
oval, lanceolate, acuminate, entire, glabrous, 5-6 pairs. Flowers
yellow, in terminal panicles. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla, 5 oblong
petals. Stamens 5, free, inserted on the apex of a disk. Ovaries
sessile, 5 many-ovuled cells. Style short. Stigma on a disk. Seed
vessel coriaceous, 5 compartments, septicidal, 5-valved. Seeds
compressed, pendulous, prolonged in a membranous wing.
Habitat.--Very common in the islands.
CELASTRACEÆ.
Staff-Tree Family.
_Celastrus paniculata_, Willd. (_C. alnifolia_, DC.; _C. Rothiana_,
Roem.; _Diosma serrata_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Bilogo_, Tag.
Uses.--I am not acquainted with the medicinal uses of this plant
in the Philippines. In India, by means of a primitive system of
distillation, they extract from the seeds a dark-colored oil of
empyreumatic odor, which under the name of Oleum nigrum was once
proclaimed by Dr. Herklots as the sovereign remedy for beriberi.
This oil in doses of 10-15 drops a day is a very powerful stimulant,
the action of which is manifested by profuse perspiration several
hours after its administration. Malcolmson reports that it has
given him good results in several cases of beriberi, particularly
in recent cases and those in which nervous and paralytic symptoms
predominated. In Concan, the juice of the leaves is given in doses
of 30 grams as an antidote for opium. The bruised seeds made into a
paste with cow urine are used locally in treatment of itch. They are
also used in the treatment of leprosy, gout, rheumatism, and other
diseases which according to their medical theories, are derived from
"cold humors." For these purposes they give the seeds internally,
beginning with one and increasing daily until 50 are taken. At the
same time they make external applications of the oil or of another
compound prepared in the following way:
Place in an open pot with one opening, seeds of _C. paniculata_,
cloves, benzoin, nutmeg and mace. The pot having been previously
heated, is covered with another, inverted over the opening. On the
sides of the latter a thick black oil condenses which Herklots very
appropriately named _Oleum nigrum_.
Botanical Description.--A climbing shrub, 6-9° high, without
spines. Leaves 6-7' long by 5' broad, alternate, petiolate,
entire, glabrous, half-ovate. Flowers small and paniculate. Calyx, 5
divisions. Corolla, 5 petals. Stamens 5, inserted in a disc. Anthers
oblong. Ovary 3-celled. Stigma 3-lobulate. Style short. Seed vessel
the size of a pea, globose, 3-celled, loculicidal, with pulpy seeds.
Habitat.--Tayabas, Laguna, Ilocos North, San Mateo, Albay. Flowers
in April.
RHAMNACEÆ.
Buckthorn Family.
_Zizyphus Jujuba, Lam._ (_Rhamnus Jujuba_, L. & Blanco;
_Z. Mauritania_, Wall.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Manzanitas_, Sp.-Fil.; _Jujube Fruit_, Eng.
Uses.--The small fruit known commonly as _manzanitas_ has an agreeable
taste, although ordinarily offered for sale before they are quite
ripe. They are among the most popular dainties at the fairs and
festivals in the provinces of Manila and are the only part of the plant
used in medicine. They possess emollient qualities and are official
in the codex. They enter in the composition of the so-called pectoral
remedies (composed of equal parts of figs, dates, Corinthian raisins
and manzanitas).
Botanical Description.--A shrub, with hooked thorns, leaves alternate,
petiolate, coriaceous, entire, 3-nerved, 2 thorny stipules, one
of them crooked. Flowers small, greenish, axillary. Calyx, 5 oval
divisions. Corolla, 5 petals. Stamens 5, free. Ovary bilocular,
situated on the disc. Styles 2-3, divergent; small papillary
stigmas. Drupe pulpy, globose, resembling a crab-apple in size and
taste, enclosing a hard, 2-celled seed.
Habitat.--Common in all parts of the islands.
_Rhamnus Wightii_, W. & Arn. (_Ceanothus Wightiana_, Wall.;
_R. Carolianus_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Kabatiti_, Tag.
Uses.--The dried trunk bark is the part employed in medicine. Hooper
analyzed it in 1888 and found a crystalline principle (0.47%), a
brown resin (0.85), a red resin (1.15), a bitter principle (1.23),
sugar, starch, calcium, oxalate, etc.
As the active principles exist in the resins, an alcoholic tincture
of the latter is the best preparation for administration. In India
it is used as a tonic and an astringent.
Botanical Description.--A small tree that grows near the sea
coast. Trunk 9-12° high, straight, many-branched, devoid of
thorns. Leaves alternate, ovate, acutely serrate, glabrous,
short-petioled. Flowers greenish-white, axillary, perfect. Calyx
5-toothed, inversely conical. Corolla, 5 petals, smaller than the
teeth of the calyx, oval, without claws, notched at the apex. Disc
fleshy, smooth, slightly concave. Stamens 5, hidden within
the petals. Filaments flattened. Anthers rounded. Ovary fleshy,
inserted at the bottom of the calyx tube. Style short. Stigmas 3,
divergent. Fruit oval, its base adherent to the calyx, 3 seeds.
Habitat.--Batangas. Blooms in July and October.
ANACARDIACEÆ.
Cashew Family.
_Mangifera Indica_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Manga._
Uses.--The dried and pulverized kernel of the seed is used as an
anthelmintic in doses of 1 1/2-2 grams both in India and Brazil. The
same preparation is used in the Philippines in the treatment of
dysentery and diarrhoea and its effect is doubtless due to the large
quantity of tannin it contains. It is administered as follows: The
pounded kernels of 20-25 seeds are brought to a boil in 2 bottles
(sic) of water. When the liquid has evaporated a third, it is
removed from the fire, cooled, decanted, and again placed on the
fire after adding three to four hundred grams of sugar. This time
it is allowed to boil till reduced to one bottle. The dose is 50-60
grams 2-3 times a day. Incisions in the trunk exude a brownish resin
which solidifies in the air, is slightly acrid, bitter, dissolves in
alcohol and partially in water. In Malabar it is given internally
in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, mixing it with white
of egg and opium. But the curative value of the combination is more
likely due to the albumen and opium than to the resin. Dissolved in
lemon juice it is a useful application in the itch. The trunk bark
is astringent and is employed in decoction as a wash for ulcers and
eczema and as an injection in leucorrhoea.
The fruit is one of the most highly prized in the Philippines, and
resident Europeans are able to eat large quantities of it without ill
effects unless the fruit is over-ripe, in which case it often causes
transient diarrhoea, which should be treated with a mild purge.
In Mauritius the following compound powder is used in dysentery:
Dried slices of manga fruit 30 grams.
Dried manga kernels 60 grams.
Plantain seeds 15 grams.
Dried ginger 8 grams.
Gum arabic 15 grams.
Pulverize each ingredient separately;
add powdered candy sugar 30 grams.
Mix.
Dose.--For an adult one dessert-spoonful every 4 hours; may be given
in cauge or arrowroot.
The flowers, testa and bark are, in Hindoo therapeutics, considered
"cold," and "astringent," and are used especially in diarrhoea. In
certain throat affections the Hindoos employ the burning leaves for
inhalation. They also use the gum made by evaporating the juice of
the ripe fruit, as a confection and an antiscorbutic. Dr. Linguist
recommends the bark as a local astringent in uterine, intestinal and
pulmonary hemorrhage and employs the following:
_Fluid Extract_.--
Fluid extract of manga bark 10 grams.
Water 120 grams.
Mix. Dose, 1 teaspoonful every 1 or 2 hours.
Botanical Description.--A noble tree, 30° to 40° high, dome-like
or rotund in outline. Leaves dark green, lustrous, alternate,
lanceolate, entire; short petioles. Flowers racemose, in verticillate
panicles. Calyx, 4, 5 or 6 sepals. Corolla white, fragrant, 4, 5 or
6 petals. Stamens 5, of which perhaps 1, 2 or 3 are fertile. Style on
one side of the ovary. Stigma simple. Fruit large, reniform, fleshy,
yellow when ripe; contains a large, flattened, reniform pit. Blooms
from January even till June. The natives force the fruit by building
fires under the trees when but little air is stirring.
Habitat.--Common throughout the islands.
_Anacardium occidentale_, L. (_Cassuvium reniforme_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Kasuy_, Tag.; _Caskew Nut_, Eng.
Uses.--The pericarp of the nut contains an essential oil which is very
irritant and used by the Hindoos as a vesicant; it severely blisters
the lips and tongues of imprudent persons who break the nut without
taking the precaution of cleansing it of the oil before opening it. In
addition to the oil called _cardol_, the pericarp contains an especial
acid _anacardic_, a little tannin and ammonia. Cardol (C_21_H_31_O_2_)
is an oleaginous, yellow liquid very unstable, neutral, soluble
in alcohol and ether, insoluble in water, volatile, and vesicant if
applied to the skin. "Anacardic" acid is white, crystalline, odorless,
with a burning, aromatic taste. It melts at 26° and decomposes at 200°
forming a colorless oil; it is not vesicant, burns with a dark flame,
and has the odor of rancid oil. A tincture of the pericarp has been
made (1 part to 10 of alcohol) and given internally as a vermifuge
in doses of 2-10 drops. Cardol, according to some authors, does not
exercise a vesicant action in the gastro-intestinal canal, because it
is not dissolved by the gastro-intestinal juices; I am sure, however,
that I have seen a choleraic diarrhoea brought on by swallowing,
in fun, the pericarp of one nut and a half. Cardol is eliminated by
the urine.
The kernel is edible and has a very agreeable taste when roasted. By
expression it yields a sweet, yellowish oil, density 0.916.
The trunk exudes a gum resin in masses varying in color from red
to yellow.
The fleshy part, called the fruit, is edible but contains a certain
quantity of cardol not only evidenced by the odor but by the
smarting of the mouth and throat after eating. It is very juicy and
the expressed liquid is fermented in Bombay and distilled to make a
very weak alcohol which sells for the very low price of 4 annas (5
cents gold) a gallon. This alcohol is again distilled and a stronger
obtained which sells for 1 1/2 rupees a gallon. The Portuguese of
India make a sort of wine from the fermented juice of the fruit,
which, like the weak alcohol we have mentioned, is a well-known
diuretic and is used as a liniment.
The gum resin of the trunk contains 90% of anacardic acid and 10%
cardol. Wood soaked in it is preserved from the ravages of insects,
especially of white ants, for which purpose it is used by bookbinders
also. Therapeutically it is used externally in leprosy, old ulcers
and to destroy corns, but on account of its rubefacient and vesicant
qualities it is necessary to use it cautiously.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 18° high, with leaves cuneiform,
glabrous, stiff, short-petioled. Flowers polygamous in terminal
panicles. Calyx with 5 erect segments, imbricated, caducous. Corolla,
5 linear, lanceolate petals, curved and imbricated. Stamens 8-10,
all fertile. Filaments united to one another and to the disc. Ovary
heart-shaped. Style filiform and eccentric. Stigma defective. Ovule
solitary. Fruit a reniform nut enclosed in a pulpy pyriform body,
formed by the matured disc and extremity of the peduncle. Seed
reniform, testa membranous.
Habitat.--Common throughout the Archipelago. Blooms in February.
_Odina Wodier_, Roxb.
Nom. Vulg.--_Amugis_, Tag. and Vis.
Uses.--The bark is very astringent and in decoction is used for
chronic ulcers. In India Dr. Kirkpatrick has used it as a lotion in
impetigo. It has also given good results as a gargle in affections
of the pharynx and buccal cavity.
The trunk exudes a gum called in India "kanni ki gond," an article
of commerce. It is almost odorless and has a disagreeable taste. It
is only partially soluble in water, forming a viscid mucilage. It is
used in the treatment of contusions and sprains and is edible when
mixed with cocoanut milk.
Botanical Description.--A tree, with leaves bunched at the extremities
of the branches, oblong, oval, acuminate, odd-pinnate, 3-4 pairs of
opposite leaflets. Flowers greenish-white, polygamous, in terminal
panicles. Calyx gamosepalous, 4 rounded lobules. Corolla, 4 imbricated
petals. Stamens 8, free. Ovary 4-parted. Pistillate flowers; ovary
sessile, oblong, unilocular. Style 4-parted, thick. Drupe oblong,
compressed, unicellular. Testa hard, with 1 non-albuminous kernel.
Habitat.--San Mateo.
MORINGEÆ.
_Moringa pterygosperma_, Gaertn. (_M. oleifera_, Lamk.; _M. poligona_,
DC.; _Guilandina Moringa_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Malungay_, _Kamalungay_, _Kalungay_, Tag.; _Dool_,
_Malungit_, Vis. and Pam.; _Horse Radish Tree_, Indo-Eng.
Uses.--The root is vesicant and the Filipinos bruise it and use it for
sinapisms. I have often observed, however, that it is quite painful
used in this way. Dr. Waitz states that it is a good plan to add a few
drops of the root juice to mustard sinapisms, a proceeding which seems
to me superfluous, especially in the case of children as he advises it.
The Bengal pharmacopoeia contains the following official preparations:
_Compound Spirit_.--
Small pieces of moringa root }
Orange peel } aa 600 grams.
Nutmeg 20 grams.
Spirit of wine 4 1/2 liters.
Water 1 liter.
Mix and distil 4 liters.
Dose.--8-30 cc. as a stimulant and diuretic.
_Compound Infusion_.--
Moringa root, small pieces, bruised }
Mustard seed } aa 30 grams.
Boiling water 1/2 liter.
Let stand 2 hours, filter and add
compound spirit. 30 grams.
Dose.--30-60 grams a day, as a strong stimulant.
The expressed seeds yield a fixed oil, which is irritating and in my
opinion should not be used internally.
The green pods, the flowers and the tender shoots of the leaves are
eaten stewed. The juice of the leaves is given internally in India,
as an emetic, in doses of 30 grams.
Botanical Description.--A well-known tree, 5-6 meters high. Leaves
3-pinnate, their terminal divisions odd-pinnate. Leaflets oval,
glabrous, entire. Calyx, 5 unequal petaloid segments, imbricated,
caducous. Corolla white, 5 unequal petals. Stamens inserted on the
border of a disc, unequal, 5 opposite the petals bearing anthers,
5 alternate without anthers. Anthers dorsal, unilocular. Ovary
pedunculate, lanceolate, unilocular, with many ovules in 2 series,
inserted on the parietal placentæ. Fruit a pod terminating in a beak,
3-valved. Seeds numerous, very large, winged, embedded in a spongy
substance.
Habitat.--Common throughout the islands. Blooms in November.
LEGUMINOSÆ. (PAPILIONACEÆ.)
Pulse Family.
_Agati grandiflora_, Desv. (_Sesbania grandiflora_, Pers.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Katuray_, Tag.
Uses.--The flowers are edible. They and the leaves are purgative
and are given in decoction for this purpose, 30-40 grams to 200 of
water. The juice of the flowers is a popular remedy in India, for
migraine and coryza. The trunk bark is bitter and tonic.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 4-6 meters high, with drooping
limbs; leaves long, very narrow, abruptly pinnate; many caducous
leaflets, linear, elliptical. Flowers large, white, fragrant, in
axillary racemes. Calyx bell-shaped with two indistinct lips. Corolla
papilionaceous, white. Standard oval, a slight notch at the apex. Wings
almost as large as the keel which is strongly arched. Stamens 10,
diadelphous. Anthers uniform. Style and stamens equally long. Stigma
a small head. Pod 1-2° long, linear, 4-sided, containing many oval
seeds, separated by filamentous partitions.
Habitat.--Grows in all sections of Luzon and Panay.
_Abrus precatorius_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Saga_, _Sagamamin_, _Bangati_, Tag.; _Bangati Gikosgikos_,
Vis.; _Kanaasaga_, Pam.; _Bugayon_, Iloc.; _Jequiriti_, _Prayerbeads_,
Eng.
Uses.--The part of the plant most important in therapeutics is the
seed, the size of a small pea, bright red with a black spot, hard and
shining. The Filipino children use them to make rosaries and other
decorations. In the distant past the Filipinos used these seeds to
weigh gold, a practice followed even to-day by the Hindoos. The famous
Susrutas, author of the "Ayur Veda," recommends them internally for
nervous diseases; modern therapeutics, however, limits their use
to one disease, though that is frequent and stubborn enough, namely
chronic granular conjunctivitis.
Some physicians state that these seeds are poisonous and others the
contrary, but the fact that they are used as food among the poor
classes of Egypt, demonstrates their harmlessness in the digestive
tract at least; when introduced into the circulation they undoubtedly
exercise a toxic effect. We have already mentioned that their use
is limited nowadays to the therapeutics of the eye; the decoction of
the seeds known in Europe under the name of "Jaqueriti"--so named in
Brazil--produces a purulent inflammation of the healthy conjunctiva and
it is precisely this counter-irritant effect which makes it useful in
chronic granular conjunctivitis, the persistence of which has defied
the most heroic measures of therapeutics. The French oculist, Dr. de
Wecker, was the first to employ jequirity for this purpose, in the
form of a 24 hours' maceration of the seeds, 10 grams to 500 grams of
water. It is necessary to use a product recently prepared and with
this several applications a day are made. It is now known that the
inflammation of the healthy conjunctiva is not caused by germ-life
contained in the solution but by an inorganic ferment discovered
by Bruylans and Venneman and named jequiritin; they state that it
is produced during the germination of the seeds or of the cells in
the powdered seeds. Warden and Waddell, of Calcutta, have isolated
an essential oil, an acid named "ábric" and an amorphous substance
called abrin, obtained by precipitation with alcohol from a watery
infusion of the pulverized seeds. Its action is identical with that of
"jequiritin."
The infusion appears to possess considerable value as a stimulating
application to indolent ulcers.
The root is a good substitute for licorice, is emollient and has an
agreeable taste. The extract is useful in catarrhal diseases of the
bronchi and in dysuria. The leaves contain the same properties as
the root and an extract prepared from them is used as a substitute
for licorice.
Botanical Description.--A vine, with leaves opposite, abruptly pinnate,
a stylet taking the place of the terminal leaflet. Leaflets linear,
entire, glabrous, tipped with a small point. Common petiole with
2 awl-shaped stipules at the base. Flowers in small racemes. Calyx
gamosepalous, caducous, 4-5 short teeth. Corolla papilionaceous, wings
horizontal. Stamens 9, monadelphous with bilocular anthers. Style
very short. Stigma globose. Pod 4-5 cm. long, truncate at the ends,
with 5-6 red seeds, each with a black spot.
Habitat.--Common in all mountainous regions of the islands. Grows
near houses and roads.
_Mucuna pruriens_, DC. (_M. prurita_, Hook.; _M. utilis_, Wall.;
_Dolichos pruriens_, L.; _Carpopogon pruriens_, Roxb.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Nipay_, _Lipay_, Vis.
Uses.--The pods are official as an anthelmintic in the Pharmacopoeia
of India. They are used in the form of an electuary triturated to the
proper consistency with honey or syrup. The dose for adults is one
soupspoonful, and for children a teaspoonful, given every morning
for 3-4 consecutive days. The last day a purge is given to expel
the lumbricoids.
Botanical Description.--A vine with ternate leaves. Flowers red,
keel larger than the standard and wings. Pods about as thick as the
little finger, lacking transverse grooves, curved in the form of the
letter f, covered with bright red down, which causes an unendurable
itching. They are divided into 3 or 4 oblique cells each containing
a brown, shiny seed.
Habitat.--Luzon and Panay.
_Erythrina Indica_, Lam. (_E. corallodendron_, L.; _E. carnea_,
Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Dapdap_, _Kasindik_, Tag.; _Dapdap_, _Kabrab_, Vis.;
_Dapdap_, _Sulbang_, Pam.; _Indian Coral Tree_, Eng.
Uses.--This tree is well known on account of the beauty of its
crimson flowers. The decoction of the leaves is a useful cleansing
and deodorizing application for ulcers. The bruised leaves are used
locally in painful affections of the joints and to abort syphilitic
buboes and abscesses of all kinds. The juice of the tender leaves
is used in Concan to destroy maggots in ulcers, and the powder has
a similar use. A decoction is used locally in ophthalmia.
The root and the leaves are used as a febrifuge in the Philippines and
in India, according to Wight. In Brazil the bark is given in small
repeated doses as a hypnotic and in the Philippines as a diuretic
and purgative; a decoction of the leaves is similarly used. The
bark contains an alkaloid discovered by Rochefontaine and Rey, called
_erythrin_, which acts upon the central nervous system, diminishing its
normal functions even to the point of abolishment, without modifying
motor excitability or muscular contractility. W. Young isolated
a glucoside, _migarrhin_, similar to saponin, but possessing the
additional property of dilating the pupil.
In bronchitis with dyspnoea the following infusion of bark is very
useful:
Fresh bark, }
Freshly bruised leaves, } aa 2 grams.
Water 1,500 grams.
Boil till reduced one-half, filter and add:
Simple syrup 200 grams.
Dose: Wineglassful every two hours.
Botanical Description.--A large tree, 20° high, thorny, with ternate
leaves. Leaflets rhomboid, broad, entire, glabrous. Secondary petioles:
that of the middle leaflet long, bearing 2 glands, those of the others
short, bearing 1 gland each. The leaves fall at the end of the rainy
season and the flowers bloom. They are a handsome scarlet color,
large, in terminal racemes. Calyx half-cylindrical, oblique, truncate,
entire. Corolla papilionaceous; standard elongated, lanceolate. Wings
short. Keel very short, 2-lobuled. Stamens diadelphous. Anthers
large. Ovary woolly. Stigma thick. Pod curved, rounded, furrowed in
parts corresponding to the seeds which are numerous, oval, pointed
at the ends.
Habitat.--Common throughout the islands. Blooms in February.
_Clitoria ternatea,_ L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Kolokanting_, _Pakingang_, Tag.; _Kolokating_, Vis.;
_Butterfly-pea_, Eng.
Uses.--The pounded seeds mixed with oil are used locally for painful
joints. They possess purgative and emetic properties and Dr. J. Shartt
has employed a mixture of the powdered roasted seeds, 8 grams, with
double the quantity of acid tartrate of potassium. Its action is
gentle, but sure. The alcoholic extract of the root, a soft, brown,
resinous substance with an odor recalling that of jalap, is a very
active cathartic, producing sharp effects in doses of 30-60 centigrams;
in fact it produces such severe tenesmus that its use in such doses
should not be recommended.
The root bark is used internally in an infusion (4-8 grams to 1 liter
of water) as an emollient in irritability of the bladder and urethra
and has been recommended for such a purpose by Mooden Sheriff. It
is a diuretic which frequently acts as a purgative, a fact that
is not surprising in view of the above-mentioned properties of the
alcoholic extract.
The roasted seeds used as a purgative are so trustworthy that they
deserve the further attention of physicians.
Botanical Description.--A vine very well known by its blue
flowers. Leaves alternate with 3 pairs of oval leaflets. Stipules
persistent. Flowers axillary, solitary, 1-1 1/2' in long
diameter. Calyx in 5 acute divisions, the two upper ones
smaller. Corolla papilionaceous. Standard open, notched at the
end. Keel shorter than the wings and covered by them. Stamens 10,
9 united and 1 free. Stigma downy, thick. Pod full of short hairs,
with more than 6 surrounded with a tow-like substance, reniform,
with black spots.
Habitat.--Common along the roads and in gardens. Flowers in July
and November.
_1. Pterocarpus santalinus_, L. [5]
Nom. Vulg.--_Narra_, _Naga_, Tag.; _Apalit_, _Daytanag_, Pam.; _Red
Saunders_ or _Red Sandalwood Tree_, Eng.
_2. P. Indicus,_ Willd. (_P. pallidus_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Asana_, Tag.; _Naga_, Vis.
_3. P. erinaceus_, Poir. (_P. echinatus_, Pers. & DC.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Asana_, _Narra_, Tag.
Uses.--The wood of the first is the so-called "red sandalwood." It
is used for building purposes and, in medicine, as an astringent. In
decoction it is used as a gargle for sore throat. The second is
also an excellent building material and is used medicinally for its
astringent properties. A decoction of sufficient strength to color
the water a light blue is used as a mouth wash in toothache and has
some reputation as a solvent of vesical calculi. All three species
yield a resin known in pharmacy under the name of "kino." The true
gum kino is really produced by the _P. marsupium_, Roxb., but the
Philippine product, especially that of the second and third species,
has for a long time been exported to Europe under the name of "red
astringent gum" or "kino." This name is given to the sap of these
trees dried without the aid of artificial heat. The bark is the part
which produces it and the following extractive process is employed in
Madras: a vertical incision is made in the trunk and lateral incisions
perpendicular to it and a receptacle is placed at the foot of the
tree. This soon fills and when the gum is sufficiently dried by air
and sun it is packed in boxes and exported.
In respect to appearance, solubility and chemical composition,
Flückiger and Hanbury were unable to discover any difference between
the kino of _P. marsupium_, Roxb., and that of _P. erinaceus_, Poir. It
is therefore interesting to consider a product that is identical with
that described in the pharmacopoeias as produced by the _P. marsupium_,
Roxb., though the latter does not grow in the Philippines.
Kino is at present used but little in therapeutics and its action is
analogous to that of tannin and catechu. It is given internally for
its astringent effect in chronic diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, blenorrhoea
and hemorrhages. The dose of the powder is 1-4 grams, and of the
alcoholic tincture, containing 20 parts kino to 100 of alcohol,
5-10 grams. In prolapse of the rectum and anal fissure the following
solution is used by enema:
Kino 3 grams.
Water 500 grams.
For vaginal injections a solution of 20 to 250 water.
Botanical Description.--The "pterocarpus," L., is a tree of
the first order with odd-pinnate leaves. Leaflets alternate and
coriaceous. Flowers yellow, in racemes, with caducous bracts and
bractlets. Calyx turbinate, with short teeth. Petals exserted,
markedly unguiculate. Standard and wings curled. Keel obtuse with
its petals slightly or not at all coherent. The staminal tube,
cleft above and below or above only. Stamens superior, often almost,
and at times entirely, free. Anthers versatile. Ovary pedunculate,
with 2 ovules. Style curved. Stigma terminal. Pod orbicular, smooth or
spiny, usually containing one seed, encircled by a broad, rigid wing,
the point curved downward.
Habitat.--In the mountains of Luzon, Panay and Mindoro. Blooms
in March.
_Pongamia glabra_, Vent. (_Robinia mitis_, L.; _Gadelupa maculata_,
Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Balikbalik_, Tag.; _Butong_, Vis.
Uses.--The oil expressed from the seeds is used in India for lighting
purposes, and in addition is of notable therapeutic value. It is an
excellent local remedy for the itch, for herpes and especially for
pityriasis versicolor, used alone or emulsified with lemon juice. In
stubborn cases Dymock recommends the addition of oil of _hydrocarpus_,
camphor and powdered sulphur. Dr. Gibson states that he knows of
no plant in the vegetable kingdom possessing more notable curative
properties in itch, herpes and other cutaneous diseases than the
plant under consideration. It is also used as an embrocation in
articular rheumatism.
The powdered leaves mixed with common salt and pepper are given
internally with a little milk, as a remedy for leprosy.
The juice of the root makes a useful wash for gangrenous ulcers and
a good injection for fistula.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 18° high, with leaves opposite,
odd-pinnate. Leaflets in 3 pairs, ovate, lanceolate, entire,
glabrous and membranaceous. Flowers slightly spotted, racemose. Calyx
bell-shaped, with 5 scarcely visible toothlets. Corolla papilionaceous,
petals equal, clawed. Standard with 2 callosities athwart the
base. Stamens 10, diadelphous. Pod with one seed, which is flat,
smooth, veined, bright red.
Habitat.--Luzon and Panay. Blooms in October.
LEGUMINOSÆ.
Brasiletto Family.
_Cæsalpinia Bonducella_, Flem. (_Guilandina Bonducella_, L.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Bayag-Kambing_, _Kalambibit_, Tag.; _Dalugdug_, Vis.;
_Fever Nut_, _Physic Nut_, _Bonduc Seeds_, Indo-Eng.
Uses.--The seed is the part of the plant employed and is official in
the Pharmacopoeia of India. It is used as a tonic and antiperiodic
in intermittent fevers and in general where tonic treatment is
indicated. It has given good results in the malarial fevers of India,
according to English physicians. The Pharmacopoeia of India contains
the following preparation under the name of "Compound Powder of Bonduc"
(Pulvis bonducellæ compositus).
Seeds of Bonduc, powdered 30 grams.
Pepper 30 grams.
Mix and keep in a well-corked flask.
Dose.--1-2 grams 3 times a day.
In the Philippines the powdered seed is given in affections of the
digestive tract, especially in diarrhoea and feeble digestion. The same
name of Bonduc is given to the seeds of another species that grows in
the Philippines, _C. Bonduc_, Roxb.; _Kamot-Kabag_, _Bayan-Kambing_,
Tag. The seeds are identical in chemical composition and therapeutic
indication.
The two principal substances contained in the seeds are an oil, 24%
and a resin, 1.88%. The former is straw-colored and slightly bitter
by virtue of the presence of a resin that may be precipitated by
alcohol. The resin or bitter principle exists as an amorphous powder,
white, bitter, not acrid, soluble in chloroform, alcohol, acetone,
crystallizable acetic acid, fixed and essential oils; slightly soluble
in ether and bisulphide of carbon, insoluble in water and petroleum
ether. The alkalies do not affect it. It melts at 140°, decomposing and
leaving only a carbon. Its discoverers, Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen,
have given it the name _bonducin_ (C_14_H_15_O_5_). Hydrochloric acid
colors it red; sulphuric acid, a maranthin red in half an hour.
Bonducin seems to be the active principle of the seeds and is given
internally in doses of 10-20 centigrams; according to Dr. Isnard,
of Marseilles, this dose has given as good results in fevers as the
same quantity of quinine.
Botanical Description.--A shrub with prostrate stem bristling with
thorns. Leaves twice abruptly pinnate, a thorn taking the place
of the terminal leaflet. Leaflets in 10-14 pairs, ovate, expanded,
with a spine at the apex. Common petioles thorny, with 4 leaf-like
stipules at the base. Flowers yellow, in racemes. Calyx 5-parted,
curved downward. Corolla inserted on the calyx, 5 petals, 4 nearly
equal, the uppermost broader and shorter. Stamens 10. Filaments
very unequal in height, inserted on the calyx, united and woolly
at the base. Pistil very short. Stigma thick. Pod rhomboidal before
maturity, prickly, containing 2 semi-globose seeds with testa hard,
mottled and tough.
The other species, _C. Bonduc_, Roxb., is distinguished by leaflets
unequal at the base, by the absence of stipules, and by the bright
orange yellow seeds.
Habitat.--Common in Luzon, Panay and Joló. Blooms in December.
_Cæsalpinia Sappan_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Sibukao_, _Sapag_, Tag.; _Palo del Brasil_, Sp.; _Sappan
Wood_, Eng.
Uses.--The decoction of Sibukao is given in hemorrhages, especially
of the lungs. It is probably the red color of this decoction which
originated the idea of giving it to check bleeding, and this is the
practice of the native Filipino doctors, as well as of the Arabs
and Hindoos. The natives of Cochin China, reasoning in an opposite
manner, prescribe it as emmenagogue. Some authors recommend Sibukao
as a substitute for logwood. The decoction is administered in chronic
diarrhoea, especially that of children. A few cases of phlebitis have
been reported as occasioned by its use. The extract is made as follows:
Sibukao in small pieces 500 grams.
Boiling water 4 1/2 liters.
Macerate for 24 hours, boil until reduced by half, filter and evaporate
the filtrate to a syrupy consistency. Do not use iron vessels.
Sibukao contains much tannin and gallic acid, and a peculiar substance
which distinguishes it from logwood, _brasilin_ (C_22_H_20_O_7_),
which gives a red color to alkaline solutions instead of blue or
purple. It is a crystalline pigment which may be considered a compound
of hematoxylon and fenol.
Botanical Description.--A very common tree, 12-15° high, with spiny
trunk, leaves twice abruptly pinnate. Leaflets linear, notched at
the apex. Flowers racemose. Calyx boat-shaped. Corolla, 5 petals,
the uppermost broad, short, spotted red. Stigma bifid. Pod sabre-like,
woody, with 3-4 seeds separated by partitions. The wood is well known
everywhere in the Philippines, being a very important article of
commerce, and there is no fear of logwood being substituted for it,
as the latter is more expensive, and substitutions are not ordinarily
made under such circumstances. In commerce it occurs in large pieces of
all shapes and forms, since the branches and trunks are cut into pieces
which vary from 1/2-2 meters in length. Its color is reddish-yellow
or white with more or less red grain. Blooms in September.
_Cæsalpinia pulcherrima_, Swartz. (_Poinciana pulcherrima_, L. &
Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Flores y Rosas Caballero_, _Caballero_, Sp.-Fil.;
_Barbadoes Flower-Fence_, Eng.
Uses.--The leaves are emmenagogue, purgative like those of senna,
and excitant. The bark especially is a powerful emmenagogue, used in
some countries for criminal purposes. The decoction of the flowers is
pectoral and febrifuge and is given in bronchitis, asthma and malarial
fever. The flowers contain a bitter principle. The roots are acrid
and poisonous. The seeds of the green fruit are eaten frequently by
children; when ripe they contain gallic and tannic acids, by virtue
of which they are used in tanning hides and to dye yellow combined
with alum, and black combined with salts of iron. They also contain
a pigment and a resin.
Infusion of the Flowers.--
Flowers of the caballero, dry 20 grams.
Water 500 grams.
Sugar 70 grams.
Mix. Dose, a wineglassful several times a day.
Botanical Description.--A shrub, with prickly trunk. Leaves
twice abruptly pinnate. Leaflets 5-8 pairs, glabrous, ovate and
elliptical, bearing a spine at the extremity, 3 stipules to each
pair of leaflets. Flowers yellow and red, in racemes on the ends
of the branches. Calyx divided almost to the base, with 5 concave
parts. Corolla, 5 petals 1' long with short claws, one petal very small
and straight, the others larger, with wavy edges. Stamens 10, crimson,
3' long, free, woolly, united at the lower end. Pistil the same length
as the stamens. Stigma somewhat concave. Ovary sessile, unilocular,
many-ovuled. Pod compressed, with 7 or more seeds inserted on the
superior suture and separated from each other by fleshy divisions.
Habitat.--Very common in gardens where it is cultivated for its
beautiful flowers. Blooms throughout the entire year.
_Cassia fistula_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Cañafistula_, Sp.; _Lombayong_, _Ibabaw_, _Baloyong_,
Vis.; _Purging Cassia_, Eng.
Uses.--The pod known in pharmacy under the name of "Cañafistula"
contains a blackish, sweet pulp, which is a mild purgative if combined
with carminatives, but it produces severe colic if given alone. The
urine sometimes takes on a dark color after taking it. The laxative
dose is 4-8 grams, the purgative 30-60.
Extract of Cassia.--
Pulp and seeds of ripe pods 1 kilo.
Water 1 liter.
After mixing the pulp with water the liquid is strained through a
woolen cloth; the material which remains in the strainer is washed
with a little more cold water which is added to the other liquid and
the two are evaporated to the consistency of the extract.
Dose.--15-30 grams.
Dr. Irving states that the root is a very energetic purgative. In
Concan the juice of the tender leaves is used in the treatment of
impetigo.
Botanical Description.--A tree with trunk about as thick as the
human body, with leaves opposite and abruptly pinnate. Leaflets,
the lower ones smaller, 5 pairs, ovate, lanceolate, glabrous
and rather tough. Common petiole, cleft at the base, lacking
glandule. Flowers bright yellow, in long, pendulous racemes. Calyx,
5 ovate sepals. Corolla, 5 unequal petals. Stamens 10, free, 3
longer than the rest. Ovary unilocular, many-ovuled. Pod cylindrical,
pointed at the end, woody, black, 1-2° long, with many circular seeds,
surrounded by a blackish pulp and separated by partitions.
Habitat.--Common in Luzon and Panay. Blooms in March.
_Cassia occidentalis_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Tighiman_, _Balotangaso_, Tag.; _Tambalisa_, Vis.;
_Western Senna_, _Styptic Weed_, Eng.; _Negro Coffee_, Indo-Eng.
Uses.--In Brazil they use an infusion of the root as a tonic and
diuretic, 4 grams of the root bark and 180 of boiling water to be taken
in one day. In Dahomey the leaves are used as a febrifuge. Thirty
grams of fresh leaves are boiled in 300 grams of water till the
liquid is reduced to 250 grams. The patient takes this decoction
hot the first day of the fever and a profuse perspiration promptly
breaks out. As a rule the effect is immediate and the fever does not
recur. This treatment of fevers is more common in that country than
that by quinine and they claim that it has the advantage over the
latter of acting as a stomachic tonic. By adding a small quantity
of the roots to the decoction it is rendered diuretic. The seeds
possess the same properties and are used in decoctions of 30 grams
to 300 of water. According to De Lanesan the roasted seeds are used
in La Réunion in infusion similar to coffee in the treatment of
gastralgia and asthma. In some countries they mix them with coffee
just as chicory is used in Europe.
Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen have made a very complete study of the
plant and we quote the following from their works:
Chemical composition of the seeds.--
Water 8.850
Fats and pigments soluble in petroleum ether 1.600
Fats and pigments soluble in chloroform 1.150
Odorous material and traces of tannin 5.022
Glucose 0.738
Gummy, mucilaginous and pectic matter 15.734
Soluble albuminoids and aleuron 6.536
Cellulose 7.434
Insoluble albuminose 2.216
Lignose 32.727
Fixed salts 17.976
Lost material .017
-------
100.000
Previous to the studies of the above authors the seeds had been
therapeutically tested by Delioux de Savignac and Professor
Clouet. Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen have confirmed the febrifuge
virtues of the seeds and are uncertain as to the active principle
since they found no glucoside or alkaloid in their analysis. The
antiperiodic properties are comparable with those of quinine and have
even proved effective in some cases in which quinine failed. It seems
quite clear that the tannin is the active principle which is the
more probable because its anti-periodic virtues are now recognized
by all therapeutists.
It is given in maceration or infusion, 2-15 grams of the seeds to 3
or 400 of water to be taken several times a day. The treatment causes
no very marked physiological effects. It seems to act as a sedative
to the nervous system.
Botanical Description.--An annual plant, .60-1 meter high. Root
central with lateral rootlets. Stem straight, ramose. Leaves opposite,
abruptly pinnate with a stylet in place of the odd leaflet. Leaflets,
5-6 pairs, the lower ones smaller, ovate, oblong, margins and lower
face downy. Common petiole swollen at the base, 2 stipules and 1
glandule. Calyx, 5 unequal sepals. Corolla, 5 nearly equal petals,
sulphur yellow, concave, the posterior one further developed. Two
verticils of 5 stamens each. Of the 5 stamens superior to the sepals,
2 are fertile, larger and arched; of the other 5 stamens 4 are fertile
and small. Pod compressed, linear, smooth, 5' long, containing many
compressed, heart-shaped seeds, separated by thin partitions.
Habitat.--Common in Luzon. Blooms in October.
_Cassia alata_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Acapulco_, Sp.-Fil.; _Katandá_, _Gamut sa Buni_,
_Sonting_, Tag.; _Sunting, Kansitás_, Vis.; _Pakayomkom-kastila_, Pam.
Uses.--This is one of the most popular Philippine remedies and its
usefulness is vouched for by many physicians practicing in many
different lands. Its antiherpetic properties are notable and the
Tagalo name of the plant, "Gamut sa Buni," means literally "medicine
for herpes." The natives use the juice of the leaf applied locally
to the affected part. These properties have long been familiar to
the Malays and to the Hindoos who in their medical works give the
plant the Sanscrit name of "Dadrughna," meaning "to cure herpes." The
Pharmacopoeia of Bengal recommends cassia in the form of an ointment
made by mixing the crushed tender leaves with simple ointment. This
preparation is, in our opinion, undesirable on account of its liability
to become rancid and vaseline should be the excipient used. Another
application for herpetic eruptions is the juice of the leaves mixed
with an equal quantity of lemon juice. The Malays use the leaves dried
in the sun, adding to them a little water and rubbing them briskly
on the affected parts, the vigorous treatment being an important part
of the cure.
The decoction of the leaves is a laxative and according to Mr. J. Wood
the tincture has an action similar to that of senna. Dr. Pulney Andy
of India states that the extract prepared from the tender leaves is
a good substitute for extract of colocynth.
Mr. A. Porte claims to have obtained the best results with an acetic
extract of the fresh leaves. The following is his formula:
Fresh leaves of _C. alata_ 100 grams.
Acetic acid diluted in 2/3 water 450 grams.
Macerate 10 or 12 days, filter and express, then filter again and
evaporate to the consistency of an extract.
The seeds contain vermifuge principles.
The activity of this plant in herpes is due to the chrysophanic acid
contained in it. The more recent the eruption the more certain is
the effect.
The following species, all of which grow in the Philippines, contain
principles analogous to those of the _C. alata_, viz.: _C. sophera_,
L. and _C. tora_, L., called in Tagalo _manimanihan_.
Botanical Description.--A shrub, 7-9° high, with a straight, ramose
trunk 3-4' in diameter. Leaves 1 1/2-2° long, opposite, abruptly
pinnate, a thick stylet taking the place of the odd leaflet. Leaflets
10-13 pairs, the smaller ones 1-2' long. Common petiole with 2
horizontal stipules at the base. Flowers in conspicuous, erect
racemes. Calyx, 5 free concave, unequal sepals. Corolla, 5 petals of
a beautiful yellow color. Stamens perigynous, 10 in number, 3 upper
ones very small and frequently sterile, 3 lower very large. The
bilocular anthers open by 2 pores. Ovary many-ovuled with filiform
style. Pod long with 2 prominent wings on the sides and many seeds
which slightly resemble a cross with blunt ends.
The _C. sophera_, L., is characterized by 10 stamens, all fertile
and a smooth, linear, bivalved pod full of seeds separated by false
partitions. The _C. tora_, L., bears a quadrangular pod about 15
centimeters long by 2 in diameter.
Habitat.--Grows in all parts of the islands and is universally known
by the natives. Blooms in May.
_Tamarindus Indica_, L.
Nom. Vulg.--_Tamarindo_, Sp.; _Sampalok_, Tag., Pam., Bik.; _Sambak_,
_Sumalagi_, _Kamalagi_, Vis.; _Tamarind_, Eng.
Uses.--The pulp of the fruit is used to make a sort of sweet preserve
and is very popular among the Filipinos. They prepare a refreshing
drink from the pulp mixed with sweetened water and believing it to
be beneficial to the liver, stomach and blood, they use too much
of it. Its excessive use is rather prejudicial to the health, but
given in moderation it is very efficient in allaying the thirst of
fever patients. The pulp contains weak laxative properties and it
is customary to administer it in solution with cream of tartar. Its
chemical composition is as follows:
Citric acid 9.40
Tartaric acid 1.55
Malic acid 0.45
Potassium bitartrate 3.25
Sugar 12.50
Gum 4.70
Vegetable gelatin 6.25
Parenchyma 34.35
Water 27.55
(Vauquelin.)
At the end of any sickness, especially after labor, the first bath
given to the convalescent is with a decoction of the leaves of the
"sampaloc," to prevent convulsions, the native herb-doctors say.
Botanical Description.--A large tree, somewhat resembling the elm in
contour, with leaves opposite, abruptly pinnate. Leaflets 12 or more
pairs, linear, with a notch at the apex, entire, glabrous. Flowers
yellow-white, spattered dark red, racemose. Calyx, 4 sepals. Corolla,
5 lanceolate petals with crispate borders. Stamens monadelphous,
dividing into 7 filaments above. The ripe pod is chocolate color,
oblong, slightly compressed, straight or curved, 6-15 centimeters
long, full of a light-brown pulp in which rest the seeds enveloped in
a cellular membrane. These seeds are flattened, almost quadrangular;
testa hard, of a chestnut color, shiny and without albumen.
Habitat.--Very common everywhere in the islands. Blooms in May.
_Bauhinia malabarica_, Roxb. (_B. tomentosa_, Wall. and Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Alibangbang_, Tag., Vis., Pam.
Uses.--The leaves of this tree and of the species _B. tomentosa_,
L., are quite acid and the Filipinos use them as an ingredient of
many dishes. The fresh flowers possess anti-dysenteric virtues for
which purpose they are given internally in infusion of 10-20 grams
of the flowers to one-half liter of water. The decoction of the root
bark is a common remedy for liver troubles along the coast of Malabar
according to Rheede.
Botanical Description.--A tree 20° high, with leaves alternate,
peltate, slightly cordate, orbicular, the apex divided into two large
lobules with a stylet between them, glabrous above, somewhat downy
beneath; 2 large, flat glandules are situated at the base. Petioles
short. Flowers cymose. Peduncle long. Calyx inferior, funnelform,
with 4-5 sepals as long as the corolla. Corolla, 5 petals. Stamens
10, 5 alternate ones longer than the others. Stigma thick, peltate,
2 lobules. Pod 1° long, with linear stalk, containing many seeds
separated by filamentous isthmuses.
Habitat.--Common everywhere. Blooms in November.
LEGUMINOSÆ.
Mimosa Division.
_Entada scandens_, Benth. (_E. Pursoetha_, DC. and Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Gogo_, Tag.; _Bayogo_, _Balogo_, _Gohong bakay_, Vis. and
Pam.; _Gilla Nuts_, Indo-Eng.
Uses.--The use made of the mashed bark of this tree is well known
throughout the Philippines. Cut in strips and beaten thoroughly between
stones it is sold under the name of "gogo"; it is macerated in water,
to which it imparts a reddish color, and forms a substitute for
soap. The Filipinos use this preparation for bathing, especially
the hair, for which purpose there is no more useful or simple
preparation. It cures pityriasis, and renders the hair very soft,
without drying it too much as is usually the case with soap. The
natives use it in treating the itch, washing the affected parts with
the maceration and at the same time briskly rubbing them with the
bark; in this way they remove the crusts that shield the acari. The
treatment is successful in direct proportion to the energy of rubbing.
The seeds of "gogo" are very large, lenticular, flattened, 3-4
centimeters in diameter. Their chemical composition has been studied by
Pettit. Alcohol dissolves the active principle, perhaps a glucoside,
the study of which the author has not completed. Five centigrams of
this substance administered to a guinea-pig causes paralysis of the
hind quarters without any apparent inflammation. He also found saponin
in the seeds, but it exists in much greater quantity in the trunk. In
the Sunda Islands they eat the seeds roasted and also extract from
them an illuminating oil.
The maceration of gogo is emetic and purgative; it is used in the
treatment of asthma; it is exceedingly irritating, the slightest
quantity that enters the eye causing severe smarting and a slight
conjunctivitis for one or two days.
Botanical Description.--A high climbing shrub with stem as much as
7-8' in diameter. Leaves opposite, twice abruptly pinnate, a stylet
replacing the terminal leaflet; 5 pairs of elliptical leaflets, entire,
glabrous and notched at the apex. Common petiole with 2 stipules
at the base. Flowers in delicate spikes. Calyx obliquely truncate,
5-toothed. Corolla, 5 oval petals much larger than the calyx. Stamens
10-13. Filaments longer than the corolla. Anther with 1-2 white,
globose glandules. Pod woody, 4-6° long by "4 fingers" broad, with
large notches on the borders, many compartments containing many large,
compressed, circular seeds with dark-colored testa, 3-4 centimeters
in diameter.
Habitat.--Mountains of Luzon and Panay. Blooms in May.
_Parkia Roxburghii_, G. Don. (_P. brunonis_, Grah.; _P. biglobosa_,
Benth.; _Mimosa peregrina_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Kopang_, Tag.
Uses.--The fruit is edible. Its pulp is golden yellow with a sweetish
taste and an odor like that of violets.
The roasted seeds are used in certain parts of Africa to make
an infusion like coffee, for which reason they have been called
"Soudan Coffee."
The pulp was analyzed by Heckel and Schlagdenhauffen in 1887;
it contains 60% of its weight of sugar (a mixture of dextrose and
levulose), 0.98% of free tartaric and citric acids, fats, albuminoids,
etc.
Botanical Description.--A large tree of the first order. Leaves
opposite, twice abruptly pinnate. Leaflets small, linear, more
than 40 pairs. Principal petiole with one glandule at the base
and often another higher up. Calyx long, tubular, with 5 unequal
lobules. Corolla, 5 equal petals. Stamens 10, monadelphous. Ovary
free, unilocular, multi-ovulate. Pod, 1° × 1', woody, much compressed,
brown, with many seeds embedded in a yellow pulp.
Habitat.--Abounds in the provinces of central Luzon. Blooms in
December.
_Acacia Farnesiana_, Willd. (_A. Indica_, Desv.; _Mimosa Farnesiana_,
L. and Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--Aroma, Sp.; Cassie Flower, Eng.
Uses.--The trunk bark is astringent and in decoction is of use in the
treatment of prolapsed rectum and as an injection for leucorrhoea. A
poultice of the tender leaves is applied to ulcers and sores previously
washed with the decoction.
The tree exudes an abundant gum very similar to gum arabic which
latter is the product of another species of acacia (_A. Arabica_,
Willd.). The Manila pharmacist, D. Anacleto del Rosario, sent to
the Paris Exposition of 1899 a specimen of this gum obtained on the
plantation of D. P. P. Roxas, in Batangas. This specimen differed in
no respect from gum arabic and it will surely sooner or later take
the place of the latter in the Philippines, both for pharmaceutical
and industrial purposes. It would be superfluous to describe here
the properties of gum arabic.
Botanical Description.--A small tree 9-12° high, very well known, trunk
bristling with long thorns. Leaves twice abruptly pinnate. One or more
pairs of leaflets, very small, linear. Common petiole with two thorns
united at its base and a small glandule on the upper part. Flowers
yellow, aromatic, axillary, joined in a globose head 1/2-3/4' in
diameter, consisting of more than 50 minute flowerets. In each axil
are 2 peduncles. In some heads all the flowerets are staminate, in
others hermaphrodite. The hermaphrodite flowers have a calyx with
5 small teeth. Corolla, 5 petals. Stamens 40 or more. Pistil same
length as the stamens. Staminate flowers: calyx, corolla, stamens
and anthers as in the hermaphrodite flowers. Pistil none. Pod round,
curved, with 8 or more elliptical, compressed seeds.
Habitat.--Grows everywhere, but forms dense thickets in the provinces
of La Laguna and Batangas. Blooms in January.
CRASSULACEÆ.
Orpine Family.
_Kalanchoe laciniata_, DC. (_Cotyledon laciniata_, Roxb.; _Bryophyllum
serratum_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Siempreviva_ (_Live-for-ever_), Sp.-Fil.; _Katakataka_,
Tag.
Uses.--The fleshy leaves are beaten up and applied to chronic ulcers
and sores on which they exert a stimulant action. Applied to the
temples they relieve headache. Ainslie testifies to the good effect
of its local use in inflammations and as a wash for ulcers. The juice
of the leaves is used in Concan in the treatment of bilious diarrhoea
and gall stones.
Botanical Description.--A well-known plant, about 2° high, with leaves
sessile, opposite, oval, serrately toothed, fleshy. Flowers yellow,
in umbels, the stalks reaching a height of 3°. Calyx very short,
with 4 lanceolate, acuminate sepals, united at the base. Corolla
salver-shaped, persistent, with border having 4 small lobules. Stamens
8, fertile. Ovaries 4, free, each with 1 many-ovuled cell. Styles
same length as the stamens. Stigmas awl-shaped. Four seed vessels,
each with 1 compartment containing many oblong seeds.
Habitat.--Common in all parts of the islands.
COMBRETACEÆ.
_Terminalia Catappa_, L. (_T. molucana_, Lam.; _T. mauriciana_,
Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Talisay_, Tag.; _Almendro_, Sp.-Fil.; _Talisay_,
_Banilak_, _Nato_, _Hitam_, Vis.; _Kalisay_, Pam.; _Lugo_, _Pandan_,
Iloc.; _Indian Almond_, Indo-Eng.
Uses.--The kernel is edible and has a very agreeable taste. It yields
about 50% of a fixed oil, sweet and savory. If left for some time,
it deposits an abundance of stearin. It closely resembles oil of sweet
almonds for which it, as well as the oil of Pili (_Canarium commune_,
L.), which we have already described, makes a good substitute.
The trunk bark is astringent and in decoction is used for atonic
diarrhoea and as a lotion for ulcers.
Decoction.--
Bark (ground and pounded) 12 grams.
Water 150 grams.
Simple syrup 40 grams.
To be given by the tablespoonful in 24 hours.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 6-8 m. high. Branches horizontal
and radiating from the trunk. Leaves purplish, bunched, cleft at
the base, sometimes transversely ovate, sometimes oval, notched,
glabrous. Petiole very short. Flowers axillary, racemose, with a scale
at the base of the peduncle, some hermaphrodite and others lacking
pistils. Staminate flowers: calyx downy within, with 5 lobes. Corolla
wanting. Stamens 10, inserted on the calyx. Hermaphrodite flowers:
pistil same length as stamens. Drupe, fleshy, inferior, oval with
the borders turned upward containing a very hard and fibrous nut;
seed long and sharp-pointed.
Habitat.--Common in Luzon. In Manila it is cultivated extensively as
an ornamental tree, especially along the Sabana Walk, General Solano
Ave. and in Sampaloc and Malacañan.
_Terminalia Chebula_, Retz. (_T. reticulata_, Toth.; _Bucida cuminata_,
Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Dinglas_, _Diglas_, Tag.; _Black Myrobalan Tree_,
Indo-Eng.
Uses.--The ripe fruit, called _myrobalans_ in India, is purgative
and six of them pounded up and given in decoction operate with
certainty, producing 4 or 5 copious evacuations without nausea or
other disagreeable symptoms. Dr. Waring has experimented with them
and recommends them highly. The taste may be made more agreeable
by adding a little cinnamon to the decoction. Dymock states that
three fruits are sufficient, and Dr. Hove gives one as the effective
dose. This lack of agreement may be explained by the fact that the
fruits are of different sizes, and probably Waring refers to those
of medium size. Contrary to what one would imagine, judging from
its purgative action, the fruit contains astringent principles, and
makes an effective injection for leucorrhoea as a substitute for nut
galls. It is also of some merit in the treatment of piles.
The green fruit is highly esteemed by Radja Kalikesen as a carminative,
tonic and purgative. Dr. Twining also mentions these same properties,
recommends it as a tonic and aperient of great benefit in atony of
the digestive organs and expresses surprise that the Europeans make
no use of it. According to the same author a dose in the treatment
of diarrhoea and dysentery is 4 grams twice a day. He quotes a case
of hypertrophy of the spleen which he cured with this fruit.
Some of the leaves bear horn-shaped galls, flattened, narrow and
hollow. They are caused by an insect which stings the leaves and
deposits its eggs in them. These leaves with galls are astringent and
very useful and effective in dysentery and diarrhoea, especially that
of children. The dose for a child of more than one year is 0.40 to 0.50
gram a day, administered in fractional doses every two or three hours.
Fridolin has obtained from its fruit an acid, which he calls
_chebulinic_ (C_28_H_25_O_10_) and presumes to be a mixture of tannic
and gallic acids. As Stenhouse had formerly indicated, no principle has
been discovered to which the purgative properties can be attributed,
unless it be a green oleo-resin turned red by nitric acid, obtained
from the fruit by Apery.
Botanical Description.--A tree of the second order, with leaves
3' long, alternate, lanceolate, entire and glabrous. Petioles
short. Flowers terminal, in spiked panicles. Calyx superior,
bell-shaped, colored, downy within, 5-toothed. Corolla wanting. Stamens
10, longer than the calyx. Anthers roundish. Ovary cylindrical. Style
curved and longer than the stamens. Stigma simple. Fruit ovoid, 2-4
centimeters long, 5-10 acute angles, wrinkled, with blackish, hard,
compact mesocarp; contains 1 seed.
Habitat.--Batangas, San Mateo. Blooms in May.
_Quisqualis Indica_, L. (_Q. villosa_, Roxb.; _Q. spinosa_, Nares.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Tagaraw_, _Niogniogan_, Tag.; _Tangolon_, Vis.;
_Babebabe_, Pam.; _Tartaraw_, Iloc.
Uses.--The fruit contains a kernel that tastes much like cacao, for
which reason the Tagalogs call it "niogniogan" (like cacao). This
kernel is a powerful anthelmintic, used also in India, the dose for
a child of 4 years being 2-4, pulverized and mixed with a little
molasses or sugar. A large dose produces hiccough, a fact well known
to the natives. Dr. Bouton states that they may cause convulsions
and other similar nervous disorders.
They yield a light green, fixed oil, probably the active principle
of the plant.
Botanical Description.--A climbing shrub, 6-9° high, whose stem is
thickly set with long, opposite thorns. Leaves in stars of 3, oblong,
acute, entire, glabrous. Petioles very short. Flowers white, veined
with red, in axillary spikes. Calyx very long, nearly cylindrical,
5-toothed. Corolla, 5 petals, inserted between the teeth of the
calyx. Stamens 10, inserted on the calyx-tube, shorter than the
corolla, arranged in 2 series, 5 higher than the rest. Style the same
length as the stamens, united throughout nearly its entire length
with the wall of the calyx-tube from which it separates near the
stigma. Stigma rather bulky. Fruit 1' long, ovoid, 5 sharp ridges
in the woody, fragile, mahogany-colored pericarp, which contains a
pointed kernel at one end.
Habitat.--San Mateo, and along the shores of Luzon. Blooms in May.
MYRTACEÆ.
Myrtle Family.
_Psidium pomiferum_, L. (_P. aromaticum_ and _P. pyriferum_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Guayabas_, Sp.; _Bayabas_, _Guayabas_, _Tayabas_, Tag.,
and other dialects; _Guava_, Eng.
Uses.--The green fruit is acid and very astringent. The stage of
development when it is best eaten raw, is just before it ripens, for
then its acidity has lessened, it is not astringent and does not emit
the strong odor, so disagreeable to many, that characterizes the ripe
fruit. When fully ripe it is sweet, non-astringent and very bland,
and this is the stage when it is best for making the jellies and
preserves so popular in the Philippines.
The bark, especially that of the root, is highly astringent
and a decoction of it is used for diarrhoea and as a wash for
ulcers. Dr. Waitz has successfully used the following formula in
treating the chronic diarrhoea of children:
Root bark of guava 15 grams.
Water 180 grams.
Boil till reduced one half. Dose, a tablespoonful every 2 or 3 hours
according to age.
A decoction of the shoots is very useful in stomatitis, cutaneous
eruptions and ulcers. Dr. Waitz advises his formula in prolapsus
recti of children. It is also of value as an injection in diarrhoea
and dysentery.
Botanical Description.--A tree, about 10° high, branches square and
somewhat winged towards the ends. Leaves opposite, oblong, obtuse,
downy, aromatic in odor. Petiole very short. Flowers axillary,
solitary, white and fragrant. Calyx adherent, the border breaking in 3,
4 or more unequal parts when the flower expands. Corolla, 5-6 petals,
inserted on the calyx, curved downward. Stamens numerous, inserted
in the calyx, as long as the corolla. Style same length as stamens,
awl-shaped. Fruit somewhat pear-shaped, with 4 or 5 ribs that disappear
at maturity, 4 or more cells each with many small, hard, irregular
seeds. In the Philippines the fruit grows to the size of a small pear.
_Eugenia Jambolana_, Lam. (_Calyptranthes Jambolana_, Willd. and
Blanco; _Syzygium Jambolanum_, DC. and Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Lomboy_, _Duhat_, _Duat_, Tag., Pam., Vis.; _Jambul_
or _Black Plum_, Indo-Eng.
Uses.--The ripe fruit, so dark a purple in color that it seems black,
is edible and very popular in the Philippines, though not considered
choice. Some suppose it to be harmful, but it is in reality very easy
of digestion.
The syrup of the fruit juice, and the decoction of the trunk bark
are both very efficacious in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery.
Syrup of Jambul.--
Juice of ripe fruit 500 grams.
White sugar 950 grams.
Dissolve in a covered water-bath, strain through woolen cloth and
put aside.
Dose.--60-200 grams a day.
The juice of the leaves is also used to treat diarrhoea. A Hindoo
physician, Bhavaprakasa, advises the following receipt:
Juice of leaves of lomboy }
Juice of leaves of manga } aa 4 grams.
Pulp of _Terminalia chebula_ }
Give in one dose in a little goat's milk and honey.
A sort of wine of very agreeable taste is made from the fruit
juice. Lately the powdered seed has been recommended in the treatment
of glycosuria or at least it has been stated that its internal use
lessens and finally abolishes the glucose from the urine of the
patient. It has even been affirmed that while under this treatment
the patient may eat glucose-forming foods without fear of glycosuria
supervening.
The chemical composition of the seeds are as follows:
Essential oil Traces.
Chlorophyl and fatty matters 0.37
Resin soluble in alcohol and ether 0.30
Gallic acid 1.65
Albumin 1.25
Pigment soluble in water 2.70
Water 10.00
Insoluble residuum 83.73
------
100.00
Dujardin-Beaumetz has tested the therapeutic value of these seeds in
diabetes but with negative results. Scott has maintained that by adding
the powdered seed to a mixture of malt and starch, fermentation is
impeded; but Dr. Villy in the laboratory of Dujardin-Beaumetz has
demonstrated that such is not the case. Contrary to the opinions
of those physicians who stated that "jambul" was capable of causing
the glucose to disappear from the urine of diabetic patients without
concurrent diabetic regimen, Dujardin-Beaumetz observed in his trials
of the drug that the slightest relaxation of the regimen was followed
by an increase of glucose. Under the influence of the medicine in doses
of 2-10 grams daily, at the same time maintaining a strict diabetic
diet, the Parisian therapeutist noted that the glucose disappears
from the third to the fifth day; but this occurred only in cases of
medium intensity, whereas in severe cases the medication produced no
effect. Upon stopping the treatment the sugar reappeared.
Botanical Description.--A tree, 15-20° high, with leaves opposite,
acute, entire, ovate, lustrous, very smooth. Flowers in racemose
panicles with peduncles opposite. Calyx superior, with 5 small
teeth and a deciduous cover composed of many orbicular pieces joined
below. Corolla none. Stamens numerous, inserted on the edge of the
calyx. Stigma pointed. Fruit black, oval, crowned with the calyx;
one long cylindrical seed with membranaceous epidermis.
Habitat.--Common all over the Archipelago. Blooms in February.
MELASTOMACEÆ.
_Melastoma malabatrichum_, L. (_M. obvolutum_, Jack.; _M. aspera_
and _obvoluta_, Blanco.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Granatis_, Tag.
Uses.--A decoction of the leaves is of use as an astringent in
diarrhoea and dysentery. A decoction of the bark is used as a gargle
for aphthæ and catarrhal sore throat, and as a wash for ulcers and
the itch.
The fruit is edible, resembling slightly the currant; it has doubtless
received the name "granatis" on account of its many seeds.
Botanical Description.--Small tree, with opposite branches, their ends
covered with hairs. Leaves opposite, 3-nerved, 1' long, very rough
with short hairs. Flowers carmine, in terminal panicles. Stamens
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