Jennings: Contribution to Botany of Isle of Pines. 165 



394. Jatropha Curcas Linnaeus. Physic Nut. 



Jatropha Curcas Linn^us, Species Plantarum, 1753, p. 1006. 



Curcas indica A. Richard, in Sagra, Historia Fisica, Politica y Natural de la Isla 

 de Cuba, III, 1853, p. 208. 



Near Nueva Gerona, April 19, 1904, A. H. Curtiss, No. 451. Gen- 

 eral Distribution: Widely distributed in tropical America from the 

 Bermudas and Mexico to Paraguay and Chile; also in the tropics of 

 the Old World, where it has been introduced. This plant is much 

 cultivated in some regions for the nuts, which are strongly purgative 

 and are used medicinally. 



395. Jatropha multifida Linnaeus. 

 Jatropha multifida Linn^us, Species Plantarum, 1753, p. 1006. 



Northern part of the island, Blain, No. 106 (Millspaugh). Gen- 

 eral Distribution: Widely distributed in the West Indies and conti- 

 nental tropical America, and cultivated and sub-spontaneous in the 

 tropics of the Old World. 



396. Manihot Manihot (Linnaeus) Cockerell. Cassava. Bitter 



Cassava. Yuca. 



Jatropha Manihot Linn^us, Species Plantarum, 1753, p. 1007. 

 Janipha Manihot Humboldt, Bonpland, & Kunth, Nova Genera et Species Plan- 

 tarum, II, 1817, p. 108. 

 Manihot utilissima Pohl, Plantarum Brasiliae Icones et Descriptiones Hactenus 



Ineditae, I, 1827, p. 32, PI. 24. 

 Matiihot Manihot Cockerell, Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club, XIX, 1892, p. 95. 



The writer was told that this plant has been found wild upon the 

 island, but no specimens were seen. Dr. J. F. Shafer collected a 

 specimen (root) in 1910, probably cultivated. General Distribution: 

 American tropics, especially South America. 



The natives of the island still use the plant for food, cooking the 

 large roots, so that there is a chance that it may be given good oppor- 

 tunities to become naturalized, if it has not already done so. 



397. Hura crepitans Linnaeus. Sand-box Tree. Javillo. 

 Hura crepitans Linnaeus, Species Plantarum, 1753, p. 1008. 



Near where a house was formerly located, one mile east of Nueva 

 Gerona, May 6, 1910, 0. E. Jennings, No. 65 (possibly naturalized). 

 General Distribution: Rather widely distributed in the West Indies 

 and in continental tropical America. 



