

22 



aplce decemdentatus, intus paulo infra apicem, antheriferus, an- 

 theris parvis ovato-rotundatis, sessilibusj flavis, dentibus tubi 

 alternantibus. Nectariiim basin germinis cingens, breve, apice 

 denticulatum coccineum. Pistillum longitudine tubi staminiferi : 

 Germen ovatum, viride : Stylus cylindraceus : Stigma peltatum. 

 Capsula ovata, magnitudine ovi Gallo-Pavonis^ lignosa, rufo- 

 fusca, minute tuberculata, 5-locularis {DeCJ) in valvis 5, e basi 

 ad apicem dehiscens, intus lamina coriacea vestita. Receptaculum 

 centrale, magnum, pentagonum, angulis marginibus valvarum 

 oppositis, sed vix ad margines attingentibus, et sic capsula, sub- 

 imilocularis. Semina rotundata, compressa, fusca, in alam longam 

 sensim attenuata, pendentia, in 5 seriebus duplicibus coUecta, 

 intra angulos receptaculi inserta, et prope ejus apicem affixa 

 (a./. 17. y^ 4.). Albumen album, tenue, Cotyledones foliaceae, 

 planae, ~Radicida parva. 



Few plants are more extensively valuable in a commercial 



r X 



point of view than the Mahogany^ and few perhaps are less 

 generally known in their history and botanical characters. The 

 tree exists in hut few stoves of our own country, and in such 

 situations is never likely to bear flowers and fruit ; and I cannot 

 mention a single work, accessible to the generality of botani- 

 cal students, where a good representation of it may be found. 

 I hope to be here able, in some measure, to supply this defi- 

 ciency, for I have been favoured with a beautiful series of 



Fi 



drawings of the Mahogany, made in the Island of St. Vin- 

 cent, by the Rev. Lansdown Guilding, from which, aided by 

 well dried specimens from the same friend, and by some 6ne 

 fruits sent to me by my late pupil, George Tyrrell, Esq. from 

 Jamaica, the accompanying figures have been made. 



The uses of mahogany wood are too well known to render 

 it necessary for me to mention them in this place ; further 

 than to say that almost all our valuable furniture is formed 

 of it, and that it is peculiarly adapted to such purposes in 

 consequence of its great beauty, hardness, and durability, by 

 means of which it may be carved into splendid ornaments, 



