44 
of an inverfely oval fliape, and dark green colour : the flowers grow 
xluncles, which fprlng from the 
in cluflers, 
divifions of 
are concave, 
or u 
mb el 
upon long p 
fmaller branch 
g, obtufe, patent 
calyx is of fi 
qu 
d decid 
lefe 
the 
petals are five, elliptical, concave, fpreading, and of a rich blue colour; 
the flamina are ere6t, ^villous, taper from the bafe, and are crowned 
with yellowiih hooked anth 
the germen is oval, angular, and 
ftyl 
pfular ftate affumes the figure we have feparately defcribed ; th 
/ 
e 
fhort 
tapering 
fligma is fimpl 
d pointed 
the 
feeds are folitary, hard, and of an oblong fhape 
Linnaeus makes three fr 
^ 
of the Guai 
the ofK 
^ 
fandum 
d afrum 
the fp 
c 
difference between the two form 
>, 
he fixes wholly on the number of the pinnse of th 
defi 
g 
firfl foliolis bijug 
d the fecond foliolis multijugis ; but the 
leaves, according to the plant we have figured, commonly confift of 
three, and fometimes four pair of pinnse, * fo that this fpecific defcrip- 
tion is by no means diflindly charafteriflic. In a medical fenfe, 
the fandlum has been generally confidered fynonymoufly with the 
officinale, and from the inveftigation w^e have given this fubjedl, we 
believe it founded in botanical truth.'' 
Th 
tree is a native of the Weft Ind 
flands 
d the war 
parts of America, and appears from the MS. of Sir Hans Sloane 
the Britifh Mufeum, to 
the Duchefs of Beaufort 
even the flow^ers of this 
been firfl cultivated in this country by 
699 
The wood, gum, bark, fruit, and 
s tree, have been found to poflefs medicinal 
qualities."^ The wood is brought here principally from Jamaica in 
large pieces of four or, five cwt. each, and, from its hardnefs and 
beauty 
is in g 
demand fo 
articles of turnery ware 
\ 
V,' 
^. 
» There can be no doubt of our plant being the true officinale, we had it with feveral 
others from Mr. Aiton, whofe extenfive botanical knowledge is above our praife, and 
only to be equalled by that liberality of mind with which he communicates it. The 
teftimony of Sir Hans Sloane is in oppofition to Linnaeus, for he obferves that the 
leaves liave fometimes four pair of pinnje. 
b Monardus divides the wood into three forts, and C. Bauhin adopts two of thefe by 
the diftmaions of Guaiacum magna matrice, and the Guaiacum propemodum fine 
matrice : thefe circumftances, however, depend upon the age, fize, &c. of the tree. 
The icons of thefe fpecies, given by Blackwell and Regnault, cannot, we prefume, be 
confidered as decifive. ' , 
Kew 
d 
ftory of Jamaica, vol. 3. p. 725 
/ 
It 
' \ 
