TEREBINTHACEJE. 231 



Trees or shrubs, natives of America ; leaves compound ; 

 leaflets pellucido-punctate ; flowers panicled, white. Drupe 

 turgid with an aromatic oil. — Name, from /xi/^ga myrrh, from 

 the valuable gum or resin, which almost every species of this 

 genus aflFords. 



1. Amyris sylvatica. Shruhhy Torch-wood. 



Leaflets 1 -paired with an odd one subrotundo- 

 ovate acuminate crenulated petiolulated, the odd 

 leaflet the largest. 



Baccifera trifolia racemosa, flosculis albis tetrapetalis, fructu 

 nigro monopyreno fcetido, Shane, II. 101. — Amyris fruticosus 

 minor, foliis orbiculatis pinnato-ternatis, Browne, 209. — A. 

 sylvatica, Jacq. Amer. 107. — A. maritima, Swartz, Obs. 148. 



HAB. Common in Port- Royal mountains. Thickets near 

 the Sea-shore. 



FL. May — August. 



A shrub, varying from 2-15 feet in height; branches few, 

 long, terete, verrucose, ash-coloured. Leaves at the extremi- 

 ties of the branches, ternate : leaflets ovate or rhomboideal, 

 rounded or occasionally subattenuated at the base, acuminate at 

 the apex which is blunt, slightly crenated, or, where the soil is 

 rich, duplicato-crenated, glabrous, pellucido-punctate, mem- 

 branaceous, 2 inches or more in length : common petiole com- 

 pressed : petiolules short, terete. Panicle terminal and axil- 

 lary, and alternately branched ; flowers numerous, small, white. 

 Calyx persistent, minute, 4-fid, with the divisions blunt. Drupe 

 globose, black, size of that of a Pimento berry : nut oval. 



This is a common shrub in thickets, and varies in the size 

 and form of the leaves, flowers, &c., from soil and situation. I 

 have no doubt, but that the following species of Jacquin, is pro- 

 perly a variety of the one we are at present considering. 



2. * Amyris maritima. Sea-side Amyris, 



Leaflets 1 -paired sessile with an odd one petiolu- 

 lated, ovate crenated obtuse. 



Jacq. Amer. 107. 



HAB. Sea-shore at the Havannah, Jacquin. Jamaica, De 

 Candolle. 



FL. ? 



3. Amyris balsamifera. Mountain fragrant Torch- 

 wood. 



Leaflets 2-jugate with an odd one petiolulated 

 ovate acuminate subentire very glabrous, panicle ter- 

 minal sessile. 



