ICICA. 



however of opinion that the Aniba of Aublet or Cedrota of 

 Schreber, the affinity of which is unknown, really produces it. 



345. I. Tacamahaca HBK. vii. 33. DC. prodr. ii. 77. 

 with 5 elliptical oblong shining coriaceous acuminate leaflets, 

 axillary panicles 3 times shorter than the petiole, and octandrous 

 flowers ; common near Calabozo in los Llanos ; produces one 

 of the bitter resins called Tacamahaca. 



346. Another supposed species of this genus is the Copal of 

 the Mexicans of Papantla and Misantla. Linncea v. 601. 



ELAPHRIUM. 



Calyx 4-parted, deciduous. Petals 4. Stamens 8, length of 

 calyx. Style 1, short. Stigma bifid. Capsule roundish, 1-celled, 

 1-seeded. Seed covered by pulp. — Trees with alternate, un- 

 equally pinnated leaves. 



347. E. tomentosum Jacq. amer. 105. t. 71. figs. 1, 2, 3. 

 DC. prodr. i. 723. N. and E. handb. iii. 130. — Fagara octan- 

 dra Linn. mant. 40. — Rocky places in Curacao and the neigh- 

 bouring islands. 



An inelegant tree about 20 feet high. Leaves downy on each side; 

 leaflets in about 4 pairs, ovate, obtuse, crenated, hardly an inch long. 

 Racemes crowded, terminal, simple, 1-1| inch long. Flowers small, 

 yellowish. Fruit the size of a pea, distilling balsam when the valves 

 separate. Seed black, partly enclosed in a scarlet pulpy aril.— - The 

 tree abounds in a fragrant, balsamic, glutinous resin, which is believed 

 to furnish one of the sorts of Tacamahaca. 



348. E. excelsum HBK. vii. t. 611. a Mexican plant very 

 nearly related to the last, is also stated to produce a similar 

 substance. 



? COMMIPHORA. 



Calyx 4-toothed. Petals 4. Stamens 8 ; with 8 glands alter- 

 nating with the filaments. Berry drupaceous, with a 2-celled 

 2-seeded stone. 



349. C. madagascarensis Jacq. hort. schonb. ii. 66. t. 249. — 

 Amyris Commiphora Roxb. fi. ind. ii. 244. — Silhet, Assam, 

 Madagascar. 



Trunk of small trees crooked, and clothed with many spreading and 

 drooping, crooked branches down to the ground ; branchlets often 

 ending in thorny points. Bark of the young shoots green and smooth, 

 that of the larger branches, and trunk, covered with a light coloured 

 pellicle as in the common birch. Leaves alternate, petioled, oval, or 

 elliptic, serrulate, smooth on both sides ; at the base or apex of the 

 petiole on each side, is generally found a small leaflet tending to give 

 the whole the appearance of a ternate leaf. Flowers short-stalked, 

 small, red, collected in little bundles on the small protuberant buds left 

 173 



