4443 
‘THIS fmall tree grows feveral feet in height, and fends off ~ 
numerous branches, efpecially towards the top: the bark which 
covers the branches is brown and fmooth, but that of the trunk is 
externally more white and rough: the leaves are entire, lanceolate, - 
fomewhat cordate, and elongated towards the apex, which is blunt, 
on the upper fide of a bright green, on the under fide paler, and 
placed alternately upon long footftalks. Both the male and female 
flowers ftand in fpikes, and are compofed of a calyx divided into five 
ovate leafits, enclofing an equal number of fmall whitith petals, and 
within thefe the neCtaria are placed. ‘The female flower produces a_ 
roundifh germen, fupporting three bifid {preading ftyles, terminated 
by obtufe ftigmata: the capfule is globular, rough, marked with fix 
furrows, and divided into three cells, epotalniaty: a a oval 
fhining feed. 
We have been defirous of introducing the annexed plate into early 
notice, in order to. determine what was left doubtful in the former 
part of this work, where the Croton Cafcarilla is figured, on the 
authority of Linnzus;* though at the fame time we obferved that it 
did not appear “ fufficiently afcertained” whether or no it furnifhed 
the officinal Cafcarilla, ‘This point however we can now confidently =~ 
decide in the negative. 
Among other circumftances, which tended to involve the paren 
tal fource of Cafcarilla long in uncertainty, was the affertion of 
fome authors,’ that it was a native of the Spanifh Main, and was 
thence imported into Europe; thus founding a prefumption, that 
the Cafcarilla and Elutheria Barks were different, and that the latter 
only was the produce of the Bahama Iflands. But this affertion we 
have difcovered to be contrary to fact; for, upon inquiry, we do not 
find that this drug was ever exported from Spanifh America, but that 
tthe Bahamas have conftantly fupplied the European markets with 
Cafcarilla bark, a parcel of which was fent here from one of thofe 
Iflands, along with {pecimens of the tree producing it; of which the 
figure here given is a faithful reprefentation, as may be feen by com-_. 
paring it with the original inthe herbarium of Sir Jofeph Banks. 
* The bark of this plant, according to Dr. Wright, has none of the fenfible .quali« 
ties of Cafcarilla. 
* See Boulduc, Hift, de 1’ Ae, des Se. 1719. p- 14. Spielmann AL, AL p. 249. 
‘ | But 
