Observations on the Great Cashew Tree. 509 



beyond the results afforded by the study of fossil remains, 

 which can justify us in entertaining the supposition: and with 

 regard to the general proposition contended for by Dr. Weis- 

 senborn, Cuvier has profoundly remarked, that — " La vie ex- 

 ercant sur les elemens qui font a chaque instant partie du 

 corps vivant, et sur ceux qu'elle y attire, une action contraire 

 a ce que produiraient sans elles les affmites chimiques ordi- 

 nances, il repugne quelle puisse etre elle-meme produite par 

 ces affinite's, et cependant Ton ne connait dans la nature au- 

 cune autre force capable de reunir des molecules auparavant 

 separees.*' 1 The force of this reflection will appear the more 

 we consider it — Edw d . Blyth, Aug. 3rd, 1838. 



Observations on the Oubudi, or Great Cashew Tree of Gui- 

 ana, a new and non-descript species of Anacardium ; natu- 

 ral order Terebinth acea. — There is, I believe, but one species 

 of Anacardium known to botanists ; namely, the A. occiden- 

 tal or the common cashew, — Meray of the natives of Gui- 

 ana : this being generally considered as identical with, or as 

 a mere variety of the oriental cashew, or Cassuvium. Besides 

 this, however, I have noticed in various parts of the forests 

 of Guiana, and not far distant from the European settlements, 

 what appears to be a nondescript species of this genus ; — a 

 large tree, growing to the height of a hundred feet or more, 

 and about four or five feet in diameter ; its trunk being often 

 observed straight and undivided to the height of sixty or se- 

 venty feet, where it begins to throw out its large and widely 

 spreading branches ; altogether resembling the oak in gene- 

 ral contour, but much larger.f 



Of this interesting tree I purpose here to offer some eluci- 

 dation. The flowers are placed on large, divaricate, terminal 

 panicles, similar to those of A. occidentale ; their situation, 

 colour, size, and fragrance being likewise similar. The calyx 

 is five-parted, acute, very small. The corolla consists of five 

 lanced, acute petals, thrice the length of the cup. The sta- 

 mina are nine in number, unequal, growing upon a short pe- 

 dicil or elevated ridge, which encircles the germ ; two of them 

 are often wanting ; and one only, — a larger stamen with a 

 twin anther, appears to be fertile. The germ is obovate, 

 compressed, and large ; on one side, near the summit, is placed 

 the style, which has a capitate stigma, giving to the germ the 

 appearance of a beak. The pericarp is a reniform nut, seat- 



* 'Introduction,' pp. 14, 15, 



f In a paper read before the Medico-Botanical Society, in 1832 v as well 

 as in an incidental notice in my pamphlet on Guiana, I have called this 

 tree Anacardium giganteum. 



