MELIACEiE. 173 



HAB. Common in Poit-Royal mountains. Near St Cather- 

 ine's Peak. St Thomas in the East. 



FL. January, February. 



A tree about twenty feet in height, with spreading branches. 

 Leaflets opposite, petiolulated, smooth and shining above, pub- 

 erulous beneath with the axils of the nerves wooly. Racemes 

 6-12 inches long, simple. Flowers shortly pedicelled, white 

 fragrant, showy. Calyx small, 4-gonal, 4-fid. Petals ovato- 

 lanceolate, obtuse, reflected. Tube of the stamens tetragonal, 

 8-toothed : anthers 8, inserted on the inside of the mouth of 

 the tube. Ovary subrotund : style subulate, length of the tube 

 of the stamens : stigma 4-gonal, depressed. Capsule size of a 

 conjraon plum, subglobose, of a russet colour, granulated, 4- 

 valved, 4-celled : seeds solitary, with a scarlet arillus. 



All parts of this tree, especially the bark, have a strong 

 smell of musk, resembling that of the Alligator. From this cir- 

 cumstance the tree has received the name of the Alligator wood. 

 There cannot be a doubt, that many parts of this tree are pos- 

 sessed of medical properties. The powdered bark, according 

 to Dr Patrick Browne, is a good emetic ; and Aublet states, 

 that it produces violent purging and vomiting. The seeds are 

 bitter, and have a warm musky taste. The wood is soft and 

 of little value. It is sometimes employed for the staves and 

 heading of sugar hogsheads. It is not adapted for rum pun- 

 cheons, as it communicates its peculiar smell and a bitter taste 

 to all spirituous liquors. Long observes that the old women in 

 his time were in the habit of scenting their persons with the 

 powdered bark of tliis tree, " till they smelted like civet cals"^ 



IV. Cedrela, Cedar. 



Calyx minute 5-toothed. Petals 5, broad at the 

 base. Stamens 5, distinct, short ; anthers oblong. 

 Stigma capitate. Capsule woody, 5-celled, 5-valved: 

 seeds co, compressed, imbricated, terminating in a 

 membranaceous wing ; albumen fleshy ; embryo in- 

 verted ; cotyledons plane leafy. 



Leaves abruptly pinnated ; pinnae of many pairs ; racemes 

 panicled, generally axillary. — The namey is derived from ced- 

 RCS, the cedar tree. 



1. Cedrela odorata. TVest-lndian Cedar. 



Leaflets ovato-lanceolate entire sub-sessile of a 

 similar colour on both sides. 



