MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 159. 
Pimenta officinalis. Myrtaceae. Allspice, pimento, or 
Jamaica pepper.—A tree native of the West Indies, but culti- 
vated almost exclusively in Jamaica. The dried unripe 
fruits are imported to this country in large quantities and 
yield the allspice of commerce, so-called because it was sup- 
posed to combine the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and 
Cloves. Pimento is very largely employed as a spice, but 1s 
used also in medicine on account of its aromatic and stimu- 
lating qualities. Oil of pimento, obtained from the fruits 
by distillation, is used in perfumes, and is also often substi- 
tuted for oil of cloves which it closely resembles. The wood 
of this tree is made into umbrella handles and canes. 
Piper nigrum. Piperaceae. Pepper plant.—A creeping 
dian vine, with minute flowers and jointed stems, culti- 
vated in India, East India Islands, and elsewhere in the 
tropics. ‘Black pepper is made from the dried unripe ber- 
ries, while white pepper is a product of the ripe fruit deprived 
of the pulp by macerating. 
_ Piper unguiculatum, Peru. P. amplum, Brazil. P. gen- 
wculatum, Peru. 
Zingiber officinale. Scitaminaceae. Ginger.—The ginger 
plant is cultivated in the warmer parts of Asia, Africa, and 
the West Indies. The root-like stems yield the well-known 
condiment. In preparing it the shriveled rind may be 
retained, or it may be scraped off and bleaching further 
accomplished by means of chloride of lime or lime and 
water. Preserved ginger is merely the young shoots of the 
rhizome preserved in syrup. 
DYES 
Biza Orellana. TBixaceae. Arnatto.—A small, bushy 
tree widely distributed in the tropics, with handsome white 
or pinkish flowers. An orange or yellow dye is prepared. 
from the reddish yellow pulp surrounding the seeds, which 
is used for dyeing silks, woolens, and cottons, and as a color 
ingredient for butter, cheese, chocolate, varnishes, and lac- 
ee Both the prepared dye and the seeds are imported to 
untry chiefly from South America and the West 
dies 
Coccoloba laurifolia, Polygonaceae. Seaside grape. — A 
small tree with cordate, ov Nate: It is a native of Bar- 
bados and other West Indian islands and belongs to the 
buckwheat family. The flowers are produced in spikes, and 
the calyx, becoming fleshy when ripe, has the appearance of 
a grape. The bark is astringent and has been used for tan- 
ning leather. . 
