nerves numerous but indistinct : the petioles are more or less downy. 

 Peduncles from the axils of the terminal leaves, solitary, single- 

 flowered, about an inch long, frequently drooping, rather thick and 

 downy. Calyx divided nearly to the base into six, rather large, 

 erect, ovate, coriaceous segments, of which the three outer are 

 clothed with dense, ferruginous hairs, the three inner much paler 

 coloured. Corolla of one petal, tubular, rather longer than the 

 calyx, white, cut one-third of the way down into six oblong ob- 

 tuse segments : within (alternating with these segments, and nearly 

 equal to them in size and shape,) are six scales, abortive stamens, 

 often notched at the point. Perfect stamens six. Filaments short, 

 curved upwards. Anthers ovato-oblong, opening with a longitu- 

 dinal fissure at the sides of the cells. Pistil: Germen subglobose, 

 densely hairy. Style exserted. Stigma obtuse, obscurely lobed. 

 Berry as large as a moderately-sized apple, often tipped with the 

 persistent style, of a dirty brown colour, mottled and spotted with 

 a deeper hue, in a. elliptical, in & more or less rounded or com- 

 pressed ; having at the base the reflexed segments of the calyx, 

 eight to ten- (seven to thirteen, J acq.) celled, many of the cells 

 frequently abortive. In the inner angle of the cells is a solitary, 

 rather large, laterally compressed, glossy, blackish-brown seed, 

 having at the inner angle a long, pale, linear scar ; the lower ex- 

 tremity is frequently recurved. Albumen white, fleshy, with the 

 flattened embryo in the centre : the radicle pointing downwards. 



Mr. Guilding compares the appearance of the fruit of this tree 

 to that of an old and decayed potato : yet he observes that, it is the 

 most luscious of the West Indian fruits ; but so abounding in an 

 acrid milk, that it cannot be eaten until it is completely ripe, or 

 according to French authors, until it almost begins to be putrid. 

 It is there served at all tables and generally esteemed. 



The flowers are, according to Jacquin, inodorous, but Mr. 

 Guilding remarks, that they yield a smell resembling that of 

 brass or copper, and far from agreeable. The general form of 

 these blossoms when in perfection is campanulate ; but when fer- 

 tilization is effected, the top of the flower closes upon the style, 

 and it becomes ovato-acuminate in its circumscription. 



The timber yielded by this tree is considered of great service in 

 the making of shingles to corn-houses. The bark is astringent, 

 and commonly known by the name of Cortex jamaicensis, accord- 

 ing to Brown, being frequently administered to the negroes in 

 lieu of the Jesuit's Bark, and found to answer all the purposes of 

 that medicine. The seeds are aperient and diuretic. 



It is a native of the West Indies and abundantly cultivated 

 throughout all the hot parts of South America for the sake of its 

 fruit. In our stoves it was cultivated so long ago as 1731, but it 

 does not appear ever to have flowered with us. The figures here 

 given are taken from beautiful drawings made by Mr. Guilding 

 m St. Vincent. To the same Naturalist I am indebted for many 

 observations on the tree. 



Tab. 3111. Fig. 1. Flower. 2. Corolla. 3. Corolla laid open. 4. Pis- 

 til. 5. Stamen : — magnified. 



Tab. 3112. Fig. 1. Very young Fruit. 2. Fruit of var. «. 3. Ditto 

 section of ditto. 4. Fruit of var. :—nat. size. 5. Seed. 6. Transverse 

 Section of ditto. 7- Vertical Section of ditto. 8. Embryo :— -magnified. 



