meliacejE. 175 



generally twisted, and the woody fibres are seldom straight, 

 from the many branches, which are given off, passing through 

 them. 



This kind of cedar is seldom employed in ship-building. 

 Sometimes, however, the trunk of a large tree is hollowed out 

 into a canoe. This is easily done, as the wood is soft, and is 

 cut out with great facility. The vessel itself is light and car- 

 ries a great weight. 



An amber-coloured Gum, resembling Gum Arabic in its pro- 

 perties, may be obtained in considerable quantities, by making 

 incisions in the bark. 



The cedar grows readily from seed or cuttings. A fresh 

 post driven into the ground, readily takes root. 



V. SwiETENIA. 



Calyx very small, 4-fid, deciduous. Petals 4 or 

 5. Stamens 8-10, with the filaments united into a 

 tube, toothed at the apex, anther-bearing within. 

 Style 1 : stigma capitate. Capsule egg-shaped, woody, 

 5-celled, many-seeded, 5-valved, dehiscent to their 

 base with their edges opposite to the angles of the 

 central pentagonal placenta : seeds imbricated down- 

 ward, expanded into a wing : albumen fleshy : em- 

 bryo straight : cotyledons plane, leafy. — De Cand. 



Three species are referred to this Genus. They are trees 

 with abruptly pinnated leaves. The bark of S. febrifuga, a 

 native of the East Indies, is employed for the cure of intermit- 

 tents. The genus was named by Jacquin, after Gerard L. B. 

 Von Swieten, at whose persuasion the Empress Maria Teresa 

 founded the Botanic Garden at Vienna. 



1. Swietenia Mahagoni. Mahogany Tree. 



Leaves sub-4-jugate, leaflets ovato-lanceolate un- 

 equal acuminate at the apex, racemes axillary panicled. 

 — De Cand. 



Cedrus Mahagoni, Mill. diet. — Cedrela, Broicne, 158. — Swie- 

 tenia Mahagoni, Jacq. Amer. 127. — De Cand. Prod. I. 625. — 

 Hooker, Bot. Misc. I. 2\. pi. \Q. 



HAB. Common. 



FL. After the May rains. 



A lofty tree, of a graceful spreading port, with the stem at- 

 taining very large dimensions. Leaves alternate, of 3—5 pairs 

 of leaflets; leaflets shortly petiolulated, distant, ovato-lanceo- 

 late, sub-acuminate, oblique, subcoriaceous, glabrous, very en- 

 tire. Panicle axillary, 3-4 inches long, pendent, much branched, 



