Dicoti/ledonea^, Anonacesc. 



439 



white, and yellow, and none have yet been discovered of a 

 blue colour. The genus Kadsura is the only example of 

 dentated leaves; and these leaves, when steeped in water, 

 yield an abundant mucilage, used by the Japanese in the fa- 

 brication of the paper made from the Broussonet/a papyrifera. 

 The women of Japan also rub it on their hair before their 

 heads are shaved. 



The genus Anona, mentioned by Oviedo under the name 

 of Guanabdnus, but established as the Anbna by Linnaeus, 

 bears fruits, each of which consists of a many-seeded berry, so 

 formed by the junction of several one-seeded berries. They 

 are generally good to eat; but are said to be unpalatable to 

 Europeans at first. We have heard, however, of their being 

 sought with avidity after one trial. The A, muricata, coming 

 from South America, and the western coast of Africa, yields 

 what the English call the sour-sop, which is a large oblong 

 fruit, filled with a white, watery, and acid pulp, enveloping 

 many large, shining, black seeds. It is very cooling and re- 

 freshing, and reckoned wholesome. The A, squamosa, fi'ora 

 both India and Africa, bears a beautiful green berry, the size 

 of a small pine-apple, and resembling it in form. There is so 

 much saccharine matter in it, that the sugar, oozing through 

 the rind, crystallises on the outside, and gives it a very pretty 

 appearance. It is extremely luscious in taste. The A, reti- 

 culata gives us the custard-apple, which is about the size of 

 one of our largest apples, and is filled with a yellow cream- 

 like pulp, and in flavour is very similar to a newly made 

 custard. It is indigenous to the Caribbee Islands, and grows 

 in Africa and Malabar ; it has also succeeded in the Island of 

 Madeira. The fruits of the A. paiudosa {Jig* 196. «), A. palus- 



196 



tris, A. longifolia {e), and A, glabra, are also much esteemed 

 for their edible properties. Those of the A. Cherimblia (b) 

 are reckoned among the best fruits of Peru, and have an agree- 



