94 



called Musanga by the Africans of the Gold Coast, as well as those of Arto- 

 carpus, are eatable as nuts. The famous Cow Tree, or Palo de Vacca, of 

 South America, which yields a copious supply of a rich and wholesome milk, 

 belongs to this order : it is supposed to be related to Brosimum. Brosimum 

 alicastrum abounds in a tenacious gummy milk ; its leaves and young shoots 

 are much eaten by cattle, but when they become old they cease to be innocu- 

 ous. The roasted nuts are used instead of bread, and have much the taste of 

 Hazel nuts. Swartz, 1. 19. A kind of paper is manufactured from Brous- 

 sonetia papjnrifera. The bark of the Moms alba contains moroxylic acid in 

 combination with lime. Turner, 640. Fustick, a yellow dye, is the wood of 

 Moms tinctoria. [The Madura aurantiaca of Nuttall, (Osage apple of 

 Lewis and Clark,) bears a globular compound fruit as large as a middle sized 

 orange, but it is not eatable ; the wood is much esteemed by the Osage Indians 

 for making their bows : it aiso dyes yellow, and much resembles the Fustick of 

 the West Indies.] The seeds of Ficus religiosa are supposed by the doctors 

 of India to be cooling and alterative. Ainslie, 2. 25. The leaves of Ficus 

 septica are emetic. Ibid. The Cochin-chinese consider that plant caustic 

 and anthelmintic. The bark of Ficus racemosa is slightly astringent, and 

 has particular virtues in hematuria and menorrhagia. The juice of its root 

 is considered a powerful tonic. Ibid. 2. 31. The white glutinous juice of 

 Ficus indica is applied to the teeth and gums, to ease the toothache ; it is also 

 considered a valuable application to the soles of the feet when cracked and 

 inflamed. The bark is supposed to be a powerful tonic, and is administered by 

 the Hindoos in diabetes. Ibid. 2. 11. Gum lac is obtained from the Ficus 

 indica in great abundance. The tenacity of life in some plants of this family 

 is remarkable. A specimen of Ficus australis lived and grew suspended in 

 the air, without earth, in one of the hothouses in the Botanic Garden, Edin- 

 burgh, for eight months, without experiencing any apparent inconvenience. 

 Ed. P. J. 3. 80. The celebrated Banyan Tree of India is Ficus religiosa. 

 Prince Maximilian, of Wied Neuwied, says that the colossal wild Fig-trees 

 " are one of the most grateful presents of nature to hot countries : the shade 

 of such a magnificent tree refreshes the traveller when he reposes under its 

 incredibly wide-spreading branches, with their dark green shining foliage. 

 The Fig-trees of all hot countries have generally very thick trunks, with 

 extremely strong boughs, and a prodigious crown " Travels, p. 104. Is it 

 possible that the Indian poison with which the Nagas tip their arrows, of the 

 tree that produces which nothing is known, can belong to this tribe 1 See, for 

 an account of the effect of this poison, Brewster' 's Journal, 9. 219. The 

 poisonous property of the Upas has been found to depend upon the presence 

 of that most virulent of all principles, called strychnia. Turner, 650. 

 Examples. Artocarpus, Morus, Madura. 



LXXXI. STILAGINE.E. 



Stilagineje, AgardKs Classes, 199. (1824) ; Von Martius Hort. Reg. Monac. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with diclinous spiked flowers, colla- 

 teral pendulous ovules, solitary ovaria, 2-lobed anthers bursting vertically, and 

 1 -seeded fruit with an albuminous seed. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character.— Flowers diclinous. Calyx 3- or 5-parted. CorollaO. Stamen* 

 2, or more, arising from a tumid receptacle; f laments capillary; anthers innate, 2-lobed, 



