J-50 H R T U S J A M A I C E N S I S. -camji-Eberk-it 



upon t'lfrlit neotaveons glanus, which acVnered together as in tlie mclicoocus. From the 

 nwrgiii ot'each gland iirose shorl- filaments ; ti)e style was simiile, crenateil like thr^t of 

 the wi/(f iscnip, ov melicocca ; the stigma ^was "capitated. On a section of the p-enn 

 there appeared three cells, containiiijr divers seeds -, the anthers were cordated and 

 t-rect ; the filaments much shcw'ter than thepetals. 



" 3. Amyris Philipptea. ^The leaves grew toward the end of the hranches alternate. 

 The pedicel was ahodt an inch and a quarter in lengiji, decorated on each side bv a 

 *erj narrow foliaceoiis margin, which supported one pair of ob-ovate lohes, with an odd 

 one at the end,_ sessile, ternale as it were, or placed ehjse to one another, of a lively 

 grc'jn, and elegantly decorated with slender oblique veins, rising from the middle, 

 shining, smooth, aiul of a firm texture, not unlike those of guaiarain. The bark is 

 bitter, aromatic, and balsamic. The whole? trunk is very full of shallow pits or depres- 

 sion-;, which are.eansed by the falling off of many tlun sinall squainmae or scales, with 

 which the old bark is c(nercd. It affects a dry rocky soil, and is one of the most elc-> 

 ^ml trees in Jamaica"- 



Ste XlMENIA. 



CANDLEBERRY MYRTLE. MYRIGA. 



Ci.. 22, OR. 4. Dioecia teb-andritt. 'TVat. or. Amevdacece. 



; Cek. CHAR. Male anient ovate-crblong, im'iricate on all sides, loose, composed of 

 ' one-flawered, crescent-shaped, bluntly acuminate, concave scales;, there is no 

 proper perianth nor corolla ; stamens four filaments (seldom six) filiform, short, 

 erect ; anthers large, twin, with bifid lobes. Female calyx as in the male, no 

 corolla; the pistil has a sub-ovate germen ; two filiform styles, longer tlian the 

 calyx ; stigmas simple ; the pericarp is a one-celled berry ; seed single, ^^j^ 



'CERIFERA. V/AX- BEARING. 



Leaves laRceolate, sub- serrate ; stem arborescent. 

 This is the common or narrow-Ieuvcd candlebernj myrtle ef America, v.-hich .Swartz 

 rilscovered in .Jamaica ; it rises to the height of tliuty feet. The bark is warted ; the 

 branches unequal and straight. Leaves evergreen, somewhat clustered, blunt at the 

 end, membranaceous, rigid, wrii,ikied, smooth, covered underneath with very minute 

 shining, orange coloured glandular pores ; "flowers in aments in different individuals. 

 Swartz had no opportunity of observmg the male aments. Miller saj's they are about 

 an inch long, and stand erect. Tne female aments are sessile, axillary, linear, shorter 

 than the leaves ; scales ver^' miniite', andbctween each of them an oblong minute germ, 

 longer than the scales; two fdiformstyles, the iengin of the germ, and reflex stigmas ; 

 berry minute, roundish, yellow. The leaves and bark bruised are said to diffuse a very 

 agreeable fragrance, in America a wax is collected from the hemes of which they 

 make candles ; whence the tree derives its name. This wax is [jrocured by boiling the 

 . ripe berries m water until the oil floats, vvhen it is skimme.d oil, and tlie skimming re- 

 ij:)eated until the oil disappears. When cold this hardens to the consistence of wax, 

 and is of a dirty green colour. It is then boiled again and clarified, which gives it a 

 transparent iirecnness. The candles made of it yield a grateful smell. A'fourth part 

 .'f tallow is usually added, which makes them burn clearer. A soap is also made h-dfH 



tlie 



