740 



LECYTHIDACE^. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



The fruit of Coui'oupita guianensis, or the Cannon-ball tree, called Abricot sauvage in 

 Cayenne, is vinous and pleasant when fresh, but m decay emits an insupportably offen- 

 sive odoiu\ The lacerated parts of its flowers become blue upon exposure to the air. 

 The shells are used, like the calabash, for domestic purposes. The most gigantic tree 

 in the ancient forests of Brazil is that called the Sapucaya. It is the Lecythis oUana, 

 the seeds of which are large and eatable, as are those of all the species of Lecythis, but 

 they leave a bitter unpleasant after-taste m the mouth. A milky emulsion, prepared 

 from the seeds of L. grandiflora, is used in Brazil m catarrhs. The bark of L. ollarm 

 is easily separable, by beating the liber into a number of fine distinct layers, which 

 divide so neatly from each other, that, when separated, they have the appearance of 

 thin satinv paper. Poiteau says he has counted as many as 110 of these coatings. The 

 Indians cut them m pieces, as wTappers for their cigars. The well-known Brazil nuts 

 of the shops of London are the seeds of Bertholletia excelsa. The great woody peri- 

 carps of Lecythis serve as di'mking-vessels. 



GENERA. 



Couratari, Aubl. i Lecythis, Liiffl. 1 Tonca, Ri . 



Leci/thopsis, Schvank. Escliweilera, 3/ar/. Couroupita, ^m6/. 



Cariniana, Casar. \ Bertholletia, Hb. et Bpl. \ Pontoppidana, Scop. 



Numbers. Gen. 7. Sp. 38. 



Elsholtzia, Rich. 

 Crossostylis, Forst. 



Position. — MjTtaceae. — LECvTHiDACEiE. — Rhizophoracese. 



Cactacea ? 



Fig. CCCCXCV. 



Fig. CCCCXCV.— Fruit of Lecythis grandiflora.—Jiift;. 



