312 CALYCIFLORiE. 



Pinnae l-S-paired : leaflets 18-20-paired, linear, subacute, gla- 

 brous, but very minutely to the glass, especially at the base, 

 ciliated : petiole terminating in a subulate seta, and bearing a 

 sessile glandule between every pair of pinnse. Spikes axillary, 

 3-4 together, furnislied at the base v.'ith numerons setaceous 

 bracteas, cylindrical, about 2-3 inches in length : peduncle 

 terete puberulous, free for about 3 lines at the base, and fur- 

 nished there with about 3 subulate bracteas. Flowers subses- 

 sile, numerous, crowded, yellowish, delicately fragrant. Petals 

 nearly 3 times the length of the calyx, lineari-oblong, villous 

 internally towards the apex. Stamens somewhat longer than 

 the petals, apparently free to the base, glabrous : anthers sub- 

 quadrate. Ovary linear, niveo-villous : style short: stigma 

 obtuse. Legume only one (rarely more) in each spike coming 

 to perfection, linear compressed, glabrous, of an ochre colour : 

 pulp, to the taste, sweetish : seeds numerous, obovate, com- 

 pressed, of a clay colour. 



This tree thrives best in a dry district, and hence acquires 

 its greatest perfection in the Salt-ponds district, and in the 

 plain of Liguanea, towards the sea. Tlie stem may frequently 

 be met with 3 feet in diameter, attaining a great height, and 

 aflFording a grateful shelter from the noon-day sun. It is said 

 to have been introduced into the country; but this can scarcely 

 be credited, as it remains to be discovered from what country 

 it came. It is a very hardy tree, sending up rapidly a num- 

 ber of shoots whenever it has been cut down, so that it can 

 only be eradicated from a pasture by burning the roots. 

 It disseminates itself by means of the cattle which feed on the 

 pods ; it is to be met with in all our plains and lower hills ; and, 

 in certain districts, it covers extensive plains. 



A transparent gum, having the appearance, and possessing 

 all the properties of gum arable, may be obtained in consider 

 able quantities by wounding the stem and large branches. It 

 was probably from this circumstance that the tree was in former 

 times mistaken for the Acacia vera, and supposed to yield the 

 gum arable of the shops. As all parts of the tree abound 

 with this gummy juice, stock of every kind feed readily on 

 the pods, young shoots, and leaves. They may do this with 

 impunity during dry weather, and the pods are even said to be 

 as nutritious as corn. After rains, however, the latter are 

 very pernicious, and frequent instances yearly occur of horses 

 dying from having fed upon them. It would appear, that the 

 fatal effects are produced by the seeds germinating in the sto- 

 mach of the animal ; for the process is found, on opening the 

 body, to have made some progress. In dry weather the seeds 

 are hard, whereas after rains they are softened and prepared to 

 spring. It is probable that it is the carbojiic acid which is 

 given out during germination that induces the inflammation of 

 the stomach and bowels, which is always present in such 



