I'LOKA OF THE ISTILMUS OF PANAMA. 95 
appears to be common on the mountains of the West Indies, but I am uot aware that it Imd previously 
been found on the continent of America, except in Mexico by Bates. 
164. Xanthoxylum spinosum? Swartz, De Cand, Prodr. vol. i. p. 726.— Nomen veruacul. 
" Acabii." In woods near Panama. 
Having none but leaves of young plants, and knowing that they differ es^^putinlly from those of old 
ones, I am unable to determine positively whether the Aeabu of Panama is identical with X sj^i^osum of 
Swartz. The wood of the Acabu is considered durable, and used for building purposes. 
SIMARUBACE,E. 
165. Quassia amara, Linn, fil., De Cand. Prodr.. vol. i. p. IGl.-Wlprs." Ann. Bot. vol. i. 
p. 161.— Nomcn vcmacul. "Guavito amargo." Island of Taboga; Ycraguas. 
The bark of this tree is used by the natives as a febrifuge, but baa hitherto not been exported from 
tlie Isthmus to foreign countries. 
166. SiMABA Cedron, Plancb., Wlprs. Ann. Bot. vol. i. p. leS.-Nomen vernacul. "Ccdron." 
On the outskirts of forests, the banks of rivers, and the sea-shore, in Daricn, Panama, and Ycraguas. 
The Cedi'on has probably been known to the aborigines of New Granada from time immemorial, and was 
early brought to the notice of Europeans. The ■' History of the Buccaniers of America,' a work published 
iix London in the year 1699, contains the first account of the Cedron. Its use as an antidote for snake8, 
and Its place of growth,— the Island of Coyba, on the coast of yeraguas,-are there distinctly stated ; but 
whether on the authority of the natives, or on that of the Buccaniers, does not appear. If the former wa« 
the case the rovers must have become acquainted with the tree while on some of their cruizes on the 
Magdalena river ; for in the Isthmus of Panama its very existence waa unsuspected until lately ; the seeds 
bein- always imported from Cartagena. Mutis, as would appear from a communication of Dr. Cespedes, 
seem°s to have been acquainted with the Cedron, and doubtless wrote upon it ; but, as most of his works 
were burnt, by order of the Spanish Government, on the principle that " learning did not become Creoles, 
that account has not been handed down to us. But, as may be suspected, a plant possessmg such beneficid 
properties as the Cedi-on, and rendered famous by botli the traditions and the history of the country which 
ft inhabited, was not doomed to oblivion. About the year 1843, the Government of Aew Granada sent a 
commission of several medical men and students, accompanied by Dr. Cespedes, Professor of Botany m he 
University of Bogota, to ascertain what plant and locality produced the Cedron, and m what quantities the 
seeds mi4t be procured. The commission seems to have reported so favourably upon the subject it was 
despatched to investigate, that the Cedron was speedily introduced into the pharmacopoeias o ^ew 
Gran a ; and it is now to be seen in aU the apotheeai-ies' shops of that republic. The commission did not 
fe tie th question botanieally ; still, it may be said to have led to it ; for when Mr. William Purdie la^ 
Collector for the Hoyal Botanic Gardens at Kew, was at Bogota, his attention was directed to the p^t m 
Lst n by Dr. Cespedes, who supplied a tolerably correct drawing of it, and also mformation respecting 
r It Lality in' which the celebrated antidote was to be met with. Mr. Purdie, taknig advantage o^ 
Z Ltelli.once, proceeded, in 1846, to the banks of the Magdalona; but on reaching the village of ^an, 
neTth pla OS where the plant grows, he found that the inhabitants had already collected their 
Me hoard of Cedron, and could only be induced to show to him a few seeds, unless he would pm-chase 
s^e wh" h he was no going to do, as all those show, to him had lost their germinating power ; the people 
trMm Ireover, tha' it woiUd be useless to search for moi. fruit, all the trees ha..ng been already 
^Led ^ot dete^ed by such discouraging prospects, .Ir. Purdie commenced searching the forest in all 
