XXXII. 
GUAIACUM OFFICINALE. 
Guaiac. 
SynonyMs.—Guaiacum, foliis fere impetiolatis, bijugatis, obovatis et leniter 
radiatis; pinnis et ramulis dichotomis, Browne's Jamaica, p. 225. Lignum vite, 
or Guaiacum, Hughes’ Barbadoes. Guaiacum Americanum primum, fructu aceris, 
sive legitimum, Breyn. Prodr., vol. i p. 31. Pruno vel Euonymo affinis arbor, 
folio alato buxeo, subrotundo, flores pentapetalo ceruleo racemoso, fructu aceris 
cordato, cujus cortex luteus corrugatus, semen unicum majusculum nigricans, nullo 
ossiculo tectum operit, Sloane’s Jamaica, vol. ii. p. 133. Guaiacum flore ceruleo, 
fructu subrotundo, Plwm. Nov. Gen., p. 39. Guaiacum, magna matrice, Bauh. 
Thy., p. 448. Lignum sanctum. Lignum Indicum. Palus sanctus. 
Forrren NameEs.—Fr.: Gaiac. Ital.: Guaiaco, Legno sancto. Span.: Guayaco, 
Palo santo. Port.: Guaiaco. Germ.: Pockenholz, Frangosenholz. Dut.: Pok- 
hut. Swed.: Pockenholt. Dan.: Pockenholt, Guajah. Russ.: Bakaut. 
Nat. Order, Zycoruyutacex, Lindl. ; Ruracem, Juss.; Grui- 
NALES, Linn.—Dercanpria, Monocynta. 
Gen. Cuar.—Calyzx five-partite, obtuse. Petals five. Stamens ten. 
Filaments naked, or somewhat appendiculate. Styles and stigma one. 
Capsule somewhat stalked, five-celled, five-angled, or by abortion, two or 
three-celled. Seeds solitary in the cells, affixed to the axis, pendulous. 
Albumen cartilaginous, with small chinks. Cotyledons somewhat thick. 
Trees with a hard wood. Leaves abruptly pinnate. Peduncles axillary, 
one-flowered (D. C.) 
Sprc. Cuar.— Leaves bijugate. Leaflets obovate or oval, obtuse (D. C.) 
History.—Guaiacum was first introduced into Europe by the 
Spaniards, in the year 1508, from the West Indies, very soon 
after the discovery of America, and was supposed to be a per- 
_ Fig. 1. The stamens and germen. 2. The pericarps. 3 and 4. Transverse and 
longitudinal sections of the germen. 
