160 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
Semecarpus Anacardium. Anacardiaceae. Marking-nut 
tree—A moderate-sized, deciduous tree, native of the East 
Indies. The juice of the nut, mixed with a little quick-lime 
and water, is employed throughout India for marking linen 
and cotton cloths, being far more durable than the marking 
inks of Europe. Undiluted, the juice acts as a vesicant, one 
used by the Hindus for rheumatism. A dye is prepare 
from the bark. 
Wrightia tinctoria. Apocynaceae. Indigo tree—A small 
tree native of India. The leaves when macerated in water 
yield a kind of indigo. 
FRUITS 
Aberia caffra. Flacourtiaceae. Kei apple—A spring 
shrub, native of South Africa. The small, apple-like fruits, 
about 2 inches in diameter, are used when green for pickling, 
and when ripe are made into preserves. . 
Achras Sapota. Sapotaceae. Sapodilla plum. — A plant 
native of tropical America and the West Indies, and gener- 
ally cultivated in the tropics. It yields an elastic gum known 
_ as chicle gum, which is imported into the United States in 
large quantities, being the principal ingredient of well- 
known brands of chewing gum. The fruit is much esteemed 
and tastes like a superior sort of persimmon. 
Adansonia digitata. Bombaceae. Monkey bread or bao- 
bab.—A tree of immense size, native of tropical Africa and 
cultivated in India. It is known also as the African calabash 
tree. The large gourd-like fruits contain an acid pulp which 
is eaten by the natives, the gourds being further used as 
floats for fishing nets and botiles for holding water. Paper 
and cloth are made from the bark, the latter being prepared 
by beating out the inner bark. Trees are known to measure 
as much as 30 feet in diameter, but the wood is light, soft, 
and of little value. 
Anona muricata. Anonaceae. Sour sop or custard-apple. 
—A tree 15-20 feet high, native of the West Indies and 
tropical America, and cultivated for its fruit, which varies 
in size from 6 to 9 inches in circumference. There are many 
forms of custard-apple, but the heart shape predominates, as 
indeed it does in fruits of most of the other anonas. Its pulp 
is wooly in appearance, but contains a fresh and agreeable 
sub-acid juice. 
Anona laurifolia, West Indies. A. glabra, Florida. 
Antidesma Bunius. es Niggers cord. — A 
tree native of Australia. e fruit is about the size of a 
