MELIACE^E. 



The fruit used by the Arabs as an emetic under the name of Djouz 

 elkai. Ripe seeds formed with Sesamum oil into a salve against the itch. 



299. T. trifoliolata Linn. sp. pi. 551. Jacq.amer. 129. t. 82. 

 A. de Juss. Meliac. p. 84. — Dry grassy places in Curacao. 



A small tree, or rather large bush, with a slight unpleasant odour. 

 Leaves ternate, shining, on a stalk about an inch long; leaflets obovate, 

 wedge-shaped at the base, entire, obtuse, the middle one the largest. 

 Racemes axillary, very short. Flowers small. Calyx campanulate, 

 5-toothed. Petals whitish, erect. Capsules green, with grey spots ; 

 seeds solitary, with a scarlet aril. — The female slaves in Curacao use a 

 decoction of the roots to procure abortion ; the Dutch call the tree 

 Kcrseboom, the Spaniards Ceraso macho. 



GUAREA. 



Calyx short, 4-toothed. Petals 4, distinct. Filaments 8, 

 united into a prismatical cylindrical tube, having 8 anthers below 

 its apex inside. Ovary on a disk, sometimes like a stalk, 4 celled, 

 with 1-2 ovules in each cell ; stigma discoidal. Capsule smooth, 

 ribbed or warted, loculicidal, 4-valved, with 1-2 seeds in each 

 cell. — Trees or shrubs, with pinnated leaves and axillary 

 panicles. 



300. G. trichilioides Cav. diss. 366. t. 210. A. de J. Meliac. 

 88. — Melia Guara Jacq. amer. 126. t. 176. f. 37- — Mountainous 

 woods of Cuba. 



A small tree. Leaves pinnate, alternate, shining, 1 A foot long; leaflets 

 7-14, oblong, obtuse, attenuated at the point, quite entire. Racemes 

 lax, 6 inches long. Flowers scentless, on very short stalks. Petals 

 greenish white. Tube of the stamens white. Fruit the size of a 

 hazel nut. — Juice of the bark purgative and violently emetic. 



301. Guarea Aubletii A. de J. (Trichilia Guara of Aublef.) 

 is very nearly related to the last, and perhaps not really distinct. 

 Its bark is a violent emetic and purgative; a decoction of it is 

 said to produce similar effects, but in a milder manner. 



XYLOCARPUS. 



Calyx urceolate, 4-cleft. Petals 4, distinct, reflexed. Sta- 

 men-tube urceolate, 8- cleft at the apex, the segments acute, 

 bipartite : anthers 8, included, erect, opposite to the segments. 

 Ovary seated on a disk broader than itself and concave, 4 fur- 

 rowed, 4-celled ; cells 1-5 ovuled. Style short, with a broad 

 concave discoid stigma. Fruit (large) spherical, 6-12-seeded : 

 pericarp splitting into 4 valves opposite to the dissepiments ; 

 the dissepiments attenuated into membranes, and nearly obli- 

 terated. Seeds inserted on the remains of the central axis, 

 ascending, angled, with a spongy integument. Cotyledons very 

 thick, combined : radicles short, dorsal. Trees. Leaves abruptly 



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