38 THALAMIFLOU^. 



pure at the apex a pellucid clammy fluid. Peduncle axillary, 

 of the same length as the petiole, subtetragonal, purplish, 

 glanduliferous, few-flowered : pedicels ai-ticulated on the 

 peduncle, terete, green. Flowers showy, white, fragrant. 

 Sepals 4 ; the two outer the smallest ; all of them roundish- 

 concave, thickish, glabrous, during aestivation imbricated, with 

 a small glandule at the base of each. Petals thrice the length 

 of the sepals, obovate, rounded or emarginate at the apex, re- 

 flected, caducous. Stamens numerous, 2 inches in length, 

 capillary, white, caducous. Alibastrum globose. Thecaphorum 

 more tlian two inches in length, filiform, angulated, purple. 

 Ovary oblong: stigma sessile, excavated. Silique about 6 

 inches in length, terete, glabrous, torose where the seeds are 

 situated, fleshy, opening ere it quits its attachment to the 

 stem, by two valves, which are gradually rolled back from the 

 apex to the. pedicel allowing the seeds successively to drop out : 

 seeds many, reniform, in two rows, imbedded in a scarlet fleshy 

 pulp. 



This tree, according to Jacquin, is known among the French 

 Creoles of Martinique, by the name of Pois ]\iABouiA, or 

 Devil's bean. The root is large, yellow, fleshy, and the taste 

 strongly resembles that of the Horse-radish. An infusion of 

 it, has been recommended, as a specific in dropsy. 



2. Capparis ferruginea. Ferruginous Caper-tree. 



Leaves lanceolate acute petiolate subglabrous above 

 paler and stellato-tomentulose beneath as also the 

 branchlets, peduncles axillary racemoso-corymbose, 

 stamens 8, berry subglobose. 



C. octand-a, Jacq. Am.. 160. t. \0Q.— Browne, 247. t. 28. f. 1. 

 — C. ferruginea, Swartz, Obs. 208. 



HAB. Common along the sea-coast. 



FL. March— May. 



A shrubby tree, about 12 feet in height ; branches compressed 

 at their extremities, lepidoto-tomentulose, rufescent. Leaves 

 petiolate, lanceolate, with the apex sharp, acute at the base, 

 entire, subglabrous above, paler and stellato-tomentulose be- 

 neath. Peduncles axillary, subterminal, shorter than the leaves, 

 incano-stellato-tomentulose, bearing several small white inodor- 

 ous flowers in a corymb-like raceme : pedicles two-thirds of an 

 inch in length, tomentulose. Sepals 4, deltoideo-lanceolate, 

 acute spreading persistent, each furnished at the base -with an 

 erect tooth-like minutely puberulous viscid glandule. Petals 

 4, roundish, concave, slightly clawed, caducous. Stamens usually 

 8, erect, length of the corolla. Thecaphorum about one-third of 

 an inch in length, terete, stellato-tomentulose. Ovary spherical: 

 stigma sessile. Fruit shortly stalked, siibrotund, size of the 



