294 BIXINEZ. 
Flacourtianea. This order is composed of tropical trees and 
shrubs, not remarkable for either beauty or use. The seeds 
called Arnotta in the shops are the produce of Bixa Orel- 
lana, these are used for colouring cheese. The seeds retain their 
power of vegetating a considerable time, therefore in most in- 
stances they may be introduced from any part of the world in a 
living state. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
* Petals present. 
1 Brxa. Petals and sepals 5. Style long, ligulate at the 
apex. Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved, prickly. 
2 Ecurnoca’reus. Calyx 4-parted. Petals 4-5, cut. Style 
awl-shaped. Capsule woody, 1-celled, 4-valved, prickly. 
3 Tricnosre’Rmum. Sepals and petals 5. Style wanting. 
“Stigma emarginate. Capsule kidney-shaped, 1-celled, 2-valved, 
hairy. 
4 Banara. Calyx 6-parted, permanent. Petals 6. Stigma 
capitate. Berry very succulent. 
5 Læra. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, or wanting. Stigma 
capitate. Berry fleshy, 2-5-valved. 
* * Petals absent. 
6 Hasse’tt1a, Calyx 4-parted. Petals wanting. Stigma 
simple. Fruit 1-2-celled ; cells 1-2-seeded. 
7 Pro’cxra. Calyx 3-5-parted, permanent. 
Stigma entire. Berry dry, 4-6-seeded. 
8 Lu pra. Calyx 5-7-parted, -permanent. Petals wanting. 
Style filiform. Stigma trifid. Berry 6-7-seeded. 
9 Azara. Calyx 4-5-parted. Petals wanting. Style awl- 
shaped. Stigma obtuse. Berry many-seeded. 
10 Kv'srra. Calyx campanulate, 6-8-cleft, closed, perma- 
nent, inner segments largest. Corolla none. Fruit 1-celled, 
many-seeded. 
Petals wanting. 
I. BIXA (Bixa is the American name of B.crellana.) Lin. 
gen. no. 654. H.B. et Kunth, nov. gen. am. 5. p. 353. D.C. 
prod. 1. p. 259. 
Lin. syst. Polydndria, Monoginia. Calyx of 5 sepals ; 
sepals orbicular, tuberculated at the base, deciduous, imbricated 
in estivation. Petals 5, obovate. Stamens numerous, hypogy- 
nous, free ; filaments filiform; anthers ovate. Ovary one. Style 
one, long, almost ligulate and compressed at the top. Capsule 
1-celled, 2-valved; valves covered with bristles on the outside, 
each bearing a linear placenta on the inside in the middle. Seeds 
8-10 on each side of the placenta, clothed with a farinaceous red 
pulp. Albumen fleshy. Embryo erect. Cotyledons leafy, flat, 
parallel, transversely plaited in the middle. Geert. fruct. 1. 
t.61. Trees with broad cordate leaves, and dichotomous pani- 
cles of large reddish flowers, and prickly capsules. 
1 B. orerxa‘na (Lin. spec. 730.) leaves cordate, ovate, 
acuminated, entire or angular, smooth on both surfaces. h. 
S. Native of South America by the sides of bogs and foun- 
tains. Cultivated in the West India islands. Sloane, hist. 2. p- 
52.t. 181. f. 1. Comm. hort. amst. 1. t. 33. B. Americana, Poir. 
dict. 6. p. 229. Corymbs terminal, panicled; peduncles 2-3-4- 
flowered. Flowers pale peach-coloured. In Holland the seeds 
of this tree are called Orleane; in Germany, Orleansbaum, Bi- 
schofsmutze, Anotta. In England we have taken the latter of 
these names, spelling it variously Ærnotto, Anotta, Anota, An- 
noto. The French have adopted the Brasilian name Uruku or 
Urucu, spelling it Roucouyer, Roucou, or Rocurier des Indes, 
I. Brxa. 
The Portuguese have also the same appellation, Urucu or Uru- 
cueira. In Spanish it is Anato or Atolle. In the Mexican 
language Achiotl. Scalager calls it Arbor finium regundorum, 
because the Mexicans made plans, and marked the boundaries of 
their lands on tablets with the colour prepared from the pulp 
which surrounds the seeds. Tournefort named it Mitella from 
the resemblance of the capsule, when open, to a mitre. 
The drug called Arnotta is thus prepared from the red pulp 
which covers theseeds. The contents of the fruit are taken out 
and thrown into a wooden vessel, where as much hot water is 
poured upon them, as is necessary to suspend the red powder or 
pulp, and by diligent stirring and pounding the pulp is separated 
from the seeds, or gradually washed off with the assistance 
of a spatula or spoon. When the seeds appear quite naked 
they are taken out, and the wash is left to settle; after which 
the water is gently poured away, and the sediment put into shal- 
low vessels, to be dried by degrees in the shade. After acquiring 
a due consistence it is made into balls or cakes, and set to dry 
in an airy place until it is perfectly firm. Some persons first 
pound the contents of the fruit with wooden pestles ; then cover- 
ing them with water, leave them to steep six days. This liquor 
being passed through a coarse sieve, and afterwards through 
three finer ones, is again put into the vat or wooden vessel, 
and left to ferment a week. It is then boiled until it is pretty 
thick, and when cool is spread out to dry, and then made up 
into balls, which are usually wrapped up in leaves. rnotta of 
a good quality is of the colour of fire, bright within, soft to the 
touch, and dissolves entirely in water. Itis reputed cooling and 
cordial, and is much used by the Spaniards in their chocolate 
and soups, both to heighten the flavour and to give them an 
agreeable colour. It is esteemed a good antidote to dysentery 
and disorders of the kidneys, and is recommended as a good 
stomachic cordial, and a preservative against retention of urine. 
Mixed with lemon-juice and a gum it makes the crimson paint 
with which the Indians adorn their persons. It was formerly used 
by dyers to form the colour called Aurora, but at present it Is 
not held in such high estimation as a dye, though it still main- 
tains its ground with painters. Arnotta is well known to be the 
drug which is used for colouring the cheese in Gloucestershire, 
under the name of cheese-colouring. It is used in Holland for 
colouring butter. Arnotta gives but a pale brownish yellow 
colour to water, and is not soluble in that liquid, nor in spirit of 
wine ; but in order to be fit for dyeing, it requires analkaline men- 
struum, to which it gives a bright orange colour, and hence it 
was formerly used as an ingredient in varnishes and lacquers; 
and in dyeing wax of a vermilion colour; but in dyeing cloths it 
is of little use, as the colour is discharged by exposure to the air 
and by soap. The bark of the tree makes good ropes for the 
common plantation uses in the West Indies; and pieces of the 
wood are used by the Indians to procure fire by friction. _ The 
specific name Orellana is given to this tree because it is believed 
that it grows principally towards the borders of Orellana 
South America. 
Arnotta is said to be an antidote to the poisonous juice of 
Manihot. The liquid formerly sold under the name of “ Scot $ 
nankeen dye,” seems to be nothing but Arnotta dissolved in al- 
kaline ley. 
Orellana or Common Arnotta or Anotta-Tree. Fl. May, Aug: 
Tree 30 feet. i 
2 B. Urucura'na (Willd. enum. p. 565.) leaves with white 
scales or dots on the under surface. h. S. Native of Brasil. Flow- 
ers like the last. Uruca or Uruka is the Brasilian name of the tree- 
Uruca Arnotta. Clt. 1823. Tree? 
3 B. praryca’rpa (Ruiz, et Pav. fl. per. 5. t. 459.) cap- 
sules nearly kidney-shaped, flat, with very few prickles ; pedicels 
very thick towards the flower; leaves cordate, entire, strong y 
