CALUDIMA, or COLON/BA (Neo-Lat., prob ably from Mozambique lialumb; according to some, the name is derived from Colombo, in Cey lon). The root of Jateorrhiza palmata, a herba ceous plant of the natural order Menispermaeen. The cahunba now chiefly in use is produced in Mozambique. The flowers of the plant have 12 sepals and petals in all, similar in appearance, and disposed in four rows. The male and female flowers are on separate plants. The leaves are nearly circular, with five to seven lobes, on long hairy footstalks, and solitary axillary race/nes of small green flowers, the racemes of the male plants branching. The fruit is a drupe, or one seeded berry-like fruit, about the size of a hazel nut, densely clothed with long hairs. The stem is annual and twining; the root perennial, con sisting of clustered, spindle-shaped, fleshy tubers, with a brown warty epidermis, internally deep yellow, with a very bitter taste, and a faint aromatic odor. Its bitterness is ascribed to a somewhat narcotic principle called calumbine, and to herberine, an alkaloid originally discov ered in the barberry. Calumba is regarded as
one of the most useful stomachic tonics. As it contains no tannin, it may be taken with prepa rations of iron. It is well borne by the stomach, and is sometimes given to allay vomiting. It has been found useful in diarrhea/ and dysentery. It is administered in the form of powder, fluid ex tract, or tincture. The very poisonous seed known by the name of Coceulus Indicus (q.v.) belongs to a plant of a different but allied genus. The root of Frasera Walteri is sometimes fraudu lently substituted for ealumba, and has been called American calumba-root. It does not agree with ealumba in its properties, but besides its very different appearance, it may be distin guished by its undergoing no such change of color, when touched with tincture of iodine, as in true calumha-root is produced by the presence of starch. Ste FlIA SERA.