byttneiiiace;i:. 99 



it is easily digested, so as to be recommended for persons in 

 delicate health, and who have little or no appetite. To render 

 it more nourishing;, milk, arrow-root, sago, and even wine may- 

 be added. It is a very agreeable beverage to the palate, re- 

 cruits the strength, invigorates the frame, and is very nutritive. 

 By a late regulation of the British Navy, a certain proportion 

 of chocolate was directed to be served out to each man in place 

 of rum. 



I may add, that according to observations of Mr Henley, 

 chocolate, fresh ground, and cooled in tin vessels, becomes highly 

 electrical. A drink, sweetened with sugar, is prepared from 

 the pulp which surrounds the seeds, and is said to be agreeably 

 cooling and refreshing. The husks of the pods are imported 

 into Europe, and a decoction is prepared from them, which 

 serves as a substitute for the more expensive beverage. The 

 seeds of the Cacao were in former times the only substitute for 

 coin among the ancient Mexicans. Even in the present day, 

 according to Humboldt, the common people make use of them, 

 reckoning six seeds as equal to a halfpenny. 



III. GUAZUMA. 



Calycine sepals 5 distinct or connate into a 2-3-par- 

 tite calyx. Petals 5, 2-horned at the apex. Stamens 

 slightly monadelphous at the base, forming a very 

 short tube dividing into 5 sterile lobes which alternate 

 with 5 fertile filaments, 3-fid and o-antherous at the 

 apex. Styles 5 connivent. Capsule lignose, tubercu^ 

 lated, evalved, 5-celled, pierced with a 10-fold series 

 of little holes, many-seeded. Seeds ovate. Cotyledons 

 (according to Kunth) plicate De Cand. 



1. Guazuma ulmifolia. Bastard-cedar. 



Leaves pubescent above, tomentose beneath with 

 stellated hairs. 



Alni fructu morifolia arbor, flore pentapetalo flavo, Sloane, 

 II. 18. — Theobroma guazuma, Hort. Cliff". 379. — Su-arlz, Obs. 

 292. — Bubroma guazuma, Willd. III. 1423. — Guazuma ulmi- 

 folia, Pers. Enc/iir. II. 238. 



HAB. Common. 



FL. After the Spring and Autumnal rains. 



A tree, seldom exceeding 15-20 feet in height: branches 

 spreading, at their extremities terete, stellato-tomentose. Leaves 

 oblongo-ovate, acuminate, cordate and iinequilateral at the base, 

 unequally serrated, 3-5-ply-nerved at the base, puberulous with 

 minute stellated hairs above, tomentose especially along the 

 mid-rib with stellated hairs beneath : petiole terete, stellato- 



