FLOKA OF THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 7'J 
Specimens liave leen collected in St. Vincent (Giuldiug), Antigua (Herb. Hook.), Jamaicn (Distin), 
Dominica (Herb. Hook.), Trinidad (Lockliart), and Cumana (Funke), and at Rio Janeiro (Gardner), Rio 
San Francisco (Gardner), Serro Jacobina (iloricand), and Guayaquil (Ediuonstou). 
BIXINE^. 
24. BiXA Orellana, Linn., De Cand. Prodr. vol. i. p. 259.~Nomen vcrnac. " Acliotc" et *' Bi\a" 
vel " Bija." Common on the banks of rivers. 
The geographical range of this plant is not yet accurately determined ; it is confined to America, bemjr 
merely cultivated in the Old AYorld, and does not seem to venture beyond the limits of the tropics. 
Hooker's Herbarium contains specimens from Mesico (Schiede and Deppe), Jamaica (M'Fadyen), Guiana 
(Schoinburgk), Demerara (Parker), Guayaquil (Sinclan-), Chaohapogas (:M'atthows), and Goyaz (Gardner). 
The name " Amotto," by which the plant is known in the English colonies, is derived from tlie Aztec AcliioiT ; 
and from the same source is obtained the Panamian appellation, Achate. The term " Bixa," or "Bija," is 
used by the Indians of Southern Darien, who paint their faces with the red colour obtained from the pulp. 
25. LiNDACKERiA lawhia, Presl, AMprs. Rep. vol. i. p. 203.— Nomen vcrnac. "Carboncro." 
Common in Veraguas, in forests. 
A tree from 20 to 30 feet high ; the wood is hard, and used for building purposes. The flowers are still 
unknown ; the natives told me they were wliite ; my specimens are only in fruit. 
CISTINEiE. 
26. CocHLOSPERMUM hibiscoidcs, Humb. et Kunth, Nov. Gen. vol. \iii. p. 223.— Nomen vernao. 
" Poroporo," Common in the provinces of Panama and Veraguas : used for making hedges. 
I follow Dr. Lindley in placing Cochlospermum among CUtiiiece, with which the genus seems to have 
more affinity than with Termfroemiacea. 
VIOLACE^. 
27. Alsodeia sylvatica, Seem. (Tab. XIV.) ; fruticosa, ramulis pubesceutibus demum glabns, 
foliis oppositis ovali-ellipticis acuminatis dcntatis basi rotundatis subobliquis supra glabris subtus ad 
nerves racemisque ferrugineo-pubescentibus, racemis spiciformibus tcrminalibus folio brevioribus, se- 
palis ovate -acuminatis dorso hirtellis, pctalis oblongo-linearibus apice rcvolutis, comiectivis ovatis longe 
acuminatis, ovario liispido, stylo glabro. Tj . Near Cruces, province of Panama, in dark forests. 
A slu-ub about 12 feet high, with dichotomous branches ; the leaves are from 3 to 4 inches long, 1^ to 
2 broad, and more or less toothed j the flowers are in simple racemes, generally drooping, and white. Ripe 
fruit I have not seen. The species stands between A. prunifoUa, Sprcngel, and A. d^fexa, Bth. ; but the 
former has no hair, diff'erent-shaped leaves, longer pedicels, and very much shorter calyces, and the latter has 
reflexed pedicels 1 line long, and ovate sepals only half the length of the petals. I once entertained the 
opinion that A. defexa might be the same as my plant, and therefore asked Mr. George Bentham, who kindly 
undertook to set me right. " Tour specimen comes near my A. dejiexa"' he said, " in the almost sessile 
flowers and pubescent young branches, and midrib of the leaves ; but in my ^dant the leaves are acute at 
the base, and the sepals ditlerently shaped." 
Plate XIV. Fig. 1, flower ; 2, petal ; 3 and 4, stamens ; 5, ovary and style ; 6, ovary cut open -.—aXl 
magnified. 
