254 



FLORA OF JAMAICA 



Chrysobalanus 



Prior 1 March ! sea-shore, C. Nicholls ! Charlton, near Ewarton ; Pedro 

 Morass, Upper Clarendon, 3000 ft. ; Harris ! Charlemont, McGrath ! 

 Fl. Jam. G721, 8483, 8515, 8521, 11,166. Florida, Bahamas, West Indies, 

 S. America, tropical Africa. 



Fig. 108. Chrysobalanus icaco L. 



A, Portion of plant X 



B, Diagram of flower. 



C, Flower X 2. 



D, Flower cut lengthwise and four stamens 



removed x 3. 



E, Pistil with ovary cut lengthwise x 4. 



F, Fruit cut lengthwise ; en, endocarp x . 



Tree to 30 ft. high, or shrub. Leaves roundish-elliptical, obovate- 

 roundish, or obovate, apex rounded or emarginate, base rounded or wedge- 

 shaped, 3-10 cm. 1., 2-5-7 cm. br. Cymes 3-6 cm. 1. Calyx triangular, 

 tomentose outside and more or less pubescent within, about 2*5 mm. 1. 

 Petals obovate-spathulate, white, about 5 mm. 1. Stamens exserted ; 

 filaments villose ; anthers sometimes abortive on one side of the flower. 

 Drupes, one or two developing on each cyme, ellipsoidal, nearly spherical, 

 or obovoid; pericarp fleshy or thin, 1*5-3 cm. in diam. 



" The wood is heavy, hard, strong and close-grained ... a cubic foot 

 weighing 48 lbs. . . . The fruit, which resembles a plum in size and shape, 

 is sweet and rather insipid; it varies in colour and in the amount of juice 

 contained in the flesh, in the degree to which this adheres to the stone, 

 and in the thickness of the wall of the stone " (Sargent). "It is considered 

 astringent, and to be useful in bowel complaints. Prepared with sugar, 

 it forms a favourite conserve with the Spanish colonists, and large 

 quantities are exported from Cuba. The kernels yield a fixed oil, and an 

 emulsion made with them is said to be useful in dysentery" (Macfadyen). 

 The specific name is probably of Carib origin, and is the name still used 

 in many places for the fruit. 



