THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. + BOT 
Several spontaneous productions are used as culinary vegetables. 
The Marathrum feniculaceum, H. B. K., a plant resembling some of 
the finer sea-weeds, and growing in most rivers of Veraguas, is esteemed - 
so highly by the inhabitants that they have called it Passecarne, i. e., 
exceeds or surpasses meat; and, indeed, its young leaf-stalks, when 
boiled, have a very delicate flavour, not unlike that of French beans. 
The leaves of the Nnaja di espina (Pereskia Bleo, De Cand.) are eaten 
as salad either raw or boiled, like the young branches of several Opun- 
tias in Mexico; and in a country where, from the nature of the climate, 
the rearing of lettuces is attended with difficulties, they form a tole- 
rable substitute. The foliage of the Jatropha multifida, Linn., affords 
another culinary vegetable, losing, apparently, as do most Zuphorbiacee, 
its poisonous qualities by boiling. The shrub is always found in 
hedges and around dwellings, which leads us to suppose that it was 
originally introduced, a supposition to which its vernacular name, Col 
de Nicaragua, or Cabbage of Nicaragua, gives additional strength. 
The seeds of the Chigua (Zamia sp.), a plant abounding in the vicinity 
of Chirambirà, after having been boiled and reduced to a mash, are 
mixed with milk and sugar, and thus eaten. A kind of bread is also 
prepared from them. 
As condiments for esculent purposes, divers plants are employed. 
The red berries of the Malagueto chico, or Malagueto hembra (Xylopia 
sericea, St. Hil.), are substituted for pepper, especially by the negroes, 
who seem to have imported the first part of its name from their 
native country. The fruit of the Vainilla (Vanilla sp.) and Vainilla 
chica (Sobralia sp.) are valuable spices, much employed in flavouring - 
sweetmeats, chocolate, puddings, &e. The leaves of the Toronji] (Oci- — 
mum Campechianum, Mill.), a common annual, are chopped, and serve _ 
to replace our Parsley. The most important, however, of all the — 
aromatics to the Panamian cook is the Culantra (Eryngium fœtidum, —— 
Linn). It imparts a flavour difficult for a foreigner to relish; but the — 
inhabitants consider it the sine quá non, and are quite distressed when 
in the soups and sancoches their favourite herb has by some accident 
been omitted. 
Excellent timber for building, and wood for cabinet-makers’ pur- 
poses, abound. Particular notice is due to the Aea (Xanthoxylum 
spinosum, Swartz), Algarrobo (Hymenæa splendida, Vogel), Amarillo — — 
(Xanthoxylum sp.), Carbonero (Lindakeria laurina, Presl), Cedro cebolla 
