MYROSPERMUM PERUIFERUM. 37 
It affords some of the Copaiba of commerce, said not to be of the best sort. The best is that from Brazil. No less than 
thirteen other species of Copaifera afford the drug of commerce. The drug is obtained by making incisions into the 
stems of the trees; it then exudes abundantly, twelve pounds being sometimes procured in the space of a few hours. 
The old trees are said to furnish the fluid twice during the season, which is in the hottest months, and if a tree does 
not appear disposed to yield its product, the incision is immediately closed. 
Copaiba is erroneously called a Balsam ; it is not one of that class of substances, as it does not contain Benzoic acid ; 
it rather belongs to the Turpentines. It is a clear, transparent, yellow-coloured fluid, having the consistence of olive 
oil, a peculiar odour, and a bitter, acrid taste. It contains volatile oil, and two resins, the yellow bitter resin, (Copaivic 
acid,) and brown soft resin. The former of these unites with bases, and forms solid copaivates. The Oil of Copaiba 
is isomeric with Oil of Turpentine. : 
Copaiba is a stimulant to the mucous surfaces; it acts decidedly as a diuretic, and impregnates, with its volatile 
portion, the secretion from the kidneys. It is used in mucous discharges, but more especially those from the genito- 
urinary apparatus. In large doses it is irritating to the stomach, and when absorbed in like amount acts violently on 
the kidneys and bladder. An eruption sometimes follows its use. The mode of administration is in mixture, pills, 
solidified, or capsules. 
Puate XXX.—Represents the plant in flower, and an enlarged flower and the fruit. 
PAPILIONACE A. 
EssentiaL Cuar.—Calyz five-toothed, deciduous or persistent, sometimes bilabiate. Corolla paptlionaceous or 
subpapilionaceous, with five petals inserted into the bottom of the calyx, usually free, sometimes united with one 
another, or with the stamens, imbricate. It is called papilionaceous, or butterfly-shaped, because one of the petals, the 
upper, is large and spreading,—the vezillum or banner,—two are lateral and resemble wings, ala, and the two inferior 
are so united by the margin as to resemble the keel of a vessel, the carina. Stamens ten, inserted with the petals, 
united together, or nine united into a bundle and the tenth remaining free. Ovary free, placenta on one side. Seeds 
without albumen. Embryo curved, or bent back upon the cotyledons, rarely straight. 
MYROSPERMUM PERUIFERUM. 
DE CANDOLLE. 
oo PERUIFERUM.—Linneus. 
EX. Syst.—Decandria, Monogynia. 
Gen. Cuar.—Calyz saree five-toothed, persistent. Petals five, the upper one largest. Stamens ten, nes 
Ovary stipitate, oblong, membranous, with two to six ovules; style towards the apex filiform, lateral. Legume wit 
the stalk naked below but winged above, samaroidal, indehiscent, one-celled, one or two-seeded, laterally pointletted by 
the style. Seed besmeared with balsamic juice; cotyledons thick, plane. (De Candolle.) + teehchine 
Specir. Cuar.—This plant is described by Lambert in his Illustrations, from Ruiz's specimen. A tall, ara me? 
and elegant tree. The trunk is thick, straight, smooth, covered like the branches with a gray, coars®, re eavy 
bark, granulated, and of a pale straw-colour in the interior; filled with resin, which, according as it aboum hs uel 
less, changes the colour to citron, yellow, red, or dark-chestnut. The branches extend almost horizontally. oes 
are alternate, and composed of two to five pairs of leaflets, nearly opposite, ovate, lanceolate, her me pan with 
obtuse and emarginate, smooth; shining, entire, marked with transparent spots, hairy on the under wie 
@ short footstalk ; many leaves terminate unequally. The common petioles are thickish and hairy. The - winte ad 
from the scars of the young branches, and from the axille of the leaves in single racemes larger than the leaves; Jior 
VoL. 1. 10 
