270 



ARTOCARPACEiE. 



[Diclinous Exogens. 



Fig. CLXXXIV. 



The massive heads into which the fruits of the Breadfmit tree are collected represent 

 the typical condition of the genera of this Order, whose milky juice has long since sug- 

 gested its separation from Nettleworts ; an opinion, however, in which it was difficult to 

 agree, so long as the Fig and its allies were associated with it by that character. Now, 

 however, that such plants have been more carefully studied, it appears that the old 

 Urticaceous Order should rather be regarded 3 



as an Alliance, of which the Artocarpads 

 form one of the Orders. In that point of view 

 the Artocarpads aWII be distinguished from 

 Hempworts and Morads by their straight 

 embryo with large cotyledons, and from Auti- 

 desmads by theu* anthers and sohtary ovules. 

 From Nettleworts the difference is rather 

 one of habit than of real structure, as far 

 as oxu' information at present goes. BroAvn, 

 indeed, who first proposed the Order, stated that 

 the ovule was erect, which, however, is not the 

 case in either Artocarpus or Maclura, both 

 which have a suspended ovule. Endhcher, on ' 

 the other hand, relies upon the absence of albu- 

 men ; but a trace of it occurs in Artocarpus, 

 and in Phytocrene it is extremely abundant, to 

 say nothing of Pyrenacantha. Perhaps the 

 large convolute stipules may form a further 

 characteristic of Artocarpads. 

 ^ With respect to Phytocrene, which is con- 

 sidered by M. Decaisne identical with Gjtio- 

 cephalium, I find that it is remarkable for a very 

 large quantity of granular albumen, wliich Blume 

 says is altogether wanting in Gynocephalium ; 

 I therefore retain it as a distinct genus. 



The Order is not without anomahes. Ph;)i;ocrene and PjTenacantha have copious 

 albumen. In Antiaris the ovary adlieres to the involucre. It is doubtful whether all 

 yield milk. 



The tropics, and the tropics only, of both worlds, are the stations of these plants. 

 _ The most important plant of the Order is the Breadfruit, Artocarpus mcisa, the most 

 virulent the Upas tree, Antiaris toxicaria. Like Morads the species afford caoutchouc 

 and an eatable fruit. 



The edible quality of the Breadfniit appears to 

 be owing to the presence of a large quantity of 

 starch in its succulent heads. The Jack, Artocar- 

 pus integrifoha, has a similar quality, but is inferior. 

 The venom of the Antjar poison, Antiaris toxicaria, 

 is due to the presence'of that most deadly substance 

 strychnia; notwithstanduig the exaggerated state- 

 ments that have been made regardmg this tree, the 

 Upas of the Javanese, there remains no doubt that it 

 is a plant of extreme ^'il'ulence,even linen fabricated 

 from its tough fibre being so acrid as to verify the 

 story of the shirt of Nessus ; for it excites the most 

 distressmg itching if insufficiently prepared. 



However, the seeds are always wholesome ; those 

 of a plant nearly alUed to Cecropia, called Musanga 

 by the Africans of the Gold Coast, as well as of Arto- 

 carpus, are eatable as nuts. The famous Cow Tree, 

 or Palo de Vaca, of South America, which j-ields a 

 copious supply of a rich and wholesome milk, as 



good as that of the cow, is a species of Brosimiun. It has been analysed by various che- 

 mists, especially Mr. Edward Solly, who found m it as much as 30-57 per cent, of galactui. 

 —See Phil. 3fag., Nov. 1837. Brosimum aUcastrum abomids in a tenacious gummy 

 milk ; its leaves and young shoots>re much eaten by cattle, but when they become old 

 they cease to be innocuous. The roasted nuts are used instead of bread, and have much 



CLXXXV. 



Fig. CLXXXIV.— 1. Nut of Phjiiocrene ; 2. the same, showing the seed in its interior ; .S. a cross sec- 

 tion of the seed, showing the cotyledons and granular albumen ; 4. the club-shaped radicle, 

 l-ig. CLXXXV.— Artocarpus integrifolia. 



