436 Of the Urceola, or Caout-chouc Plant. 



poflefs ; confequently it muft be underftood that this fubftance is not folublc in the 

 menftruums which ufually diffolve refins and gums. 



Eaft India Caout-chouc would be a very proper fpecific name for that of Urceola 

 elaftica, were there not other trees which yield juices fo fimilar, as to come under the 

 fame generic charafter ; but as this is really the cafe, I will apply the name of thetrec 

 which yields it fora fpecific one. E. G. Caout-chouc of Urceola elaftica, Caout- 

 chouc of Ficus Indica, Paout-chouc of Artocarpus integrifolia, &c. &c. 



Defcription^ the Plant Urceola. Pentandria Monogynia. 



Gen. Char, calyx beneath five-toothed ; corol one petaled, pitcher fliaped, with Its 

 contra£led mouth five-toothed : neftary entire, furrounding the germs ; follicles two, 

 round, dr-npacious ; feeds numerous, iramerfed in pulp. 



Urceola Elaftica. 



Shrubby, twining, leaves oppofite, oblong, panicles terminal, is a native of Sumatra, 

 PuUo-pinang, &c. Malay countries. 



Stem, woody, climbing over trees, &c. to a very great extent, young fhoots twining, 

 and a little hairy, bark of the old woody parts thick, dark coloured, confiderably un- 

 even, a little fcabrous, on which I found feveral fpecies of mofs, particularly large 

 patches of lichen ; the wood is white, light, and porous. 



Leaves, oppofite, fliort-petioled, horizontal, ovate, oblong, pointed, entire, a little 

 fcabrous, with a few fcattered wliite hairs on the under fide. 



Stipules, none. 



Panicles, terminal, bracliiate, very ramu5» 



Flowers, numerous, minute, of a dull, greenifli colour, and hairj' on the outfide. 



Brafts, lanceolate, one at each divifion and fiibdlvifion of the panicle. 

 ' Calyx, perianth, one-leaved, five-toothed, permanent* 



Corol, one petaled, pitcher fhaped, hairy, mouth much contrafted, five-toothed, 

 divifions €reS, acute, neflary entire, cylindrick, embracing the lower two thirds of 

 the germs. 



Stamens, filaments five, vety (hort, from the bafe of the corol. Anthers arrow 

 fliaped, converging, bearing their pollen in two grooves on the infide, near the apex ; 

 ■between thefe grooves and the infertions of the filaments they are covered with white 

 foft hairs. > - 



Piftil, germs two ; above the neflary they are very hairy round the margins of their 

 truncated tops. Style fingle, fhorter than the ftaniens. Stigma ovate, with a circular 

 band, dividing it into two portions of different colours. 



Per. Follicles two, round, laterally compreffed into the fliape of a turnip, wrinkled, 

 leathery, about three inches in their greateft diameters — one celled, two valved-. 



&ecds. 



