183 



It will easily be seen from this list, which is not exhaustive, what 

 a difEcnlt subject the determination of the word "cedar" must be 

 to any but those acquainted with the Botanical characters of the 

 various plants producing woods known under this name, and the woods 

 themselves may be quite vmrecognisable without the aid of Botanical 

 specimens for identification. 



The "Cedar" of the West Indies however bears very distinct 

 characteristics. It is known to Botanist as Cedrela odorata L. and 

 belongs to an order of plants called the Meliacese ; an order to which 

 the well known Mahogany {Swietenia Maliogani, Jacq) and Carap 

 {Carapa Guianensis, Aubl.) also belongs; and is the only "Cedar" 

 I have mentioned, except Tecoma leucoxylon, which does not belong 

 to the order Coniferce. As I have previously indicated, some Botanists 

 consider Jumpevus Bermudiana, and Jnniperus Virginiana to be forms 

 of one species, others consider Cedrus Libani, Cedrus Deodora, and 

 Cedrus Atlantica should only be considered varieties of one species, 

 but as our concern is not specially with nomenclature, it can well be 

 left to specialists at various Botanical centres to determine such 

 intricate and knotty points. 



Cedrela odorata L., is a large quick growing tree and it is native 

 of the Neo-Tropical Region, which includes the "West Indies. Figures 

 of it are given in Sloane's Natural History of Jamaica, and also 

 Brown's Jamaica, the latter giving at p. 10 f. 1 excellent figures of 

 flowers, leaf, and capsule of the plant. 



The following description is taken from Grisebach's Flora of 



the West Indies : — 



PEDRELA, L. 



" Calyx 5-lobed. Petals imbricative, oblong ; midrib on the 

 inside furnished with a plait, which adheres to the gynophore. 

 Staminal tube wholly combined with gynophore : fertile filaments 5, 

 long, inserted on its top. Ovary 5 celled : cells 8 — 12, ovulate. 

 Capsule dehiscent from the top : seeds with a terminal wing; albumen 

 thin. Foetid trees; leaves pinnate ; p>anicle large, terminal. 



Cedrela, odorata, Linn. ; Leaves imparipinnate ; leaflets 5 — 8 

 jugal, oblong, oblique at the base, petiolulate ; petals pubescent ; 

 capsule ovoid, sub-costate. A high tree ; leaflets variable in being 

 broader or narrower shortly or long petiolulate ; panicle drooping, 

 often above one foot long ; flowers pale yellow." 



The tree is a very fast grower in its younger stages and the 

 wood is of the greatest service, and commonly used for many pur- 



