Urticales.] 



ARTOCARPACEiE. 



271 



the taste of Hazel nuts. The milkiness of the sap is in itself an evidence of the presence 

 of caoutchouc, and accordingly the tree Ule of Papantla, from which caoutchouc is 

 obtained in that country, is supposed to be Castilloa elastica, a plant of this Order. A 

 similar substance is obtained from Cecropia peltata, a very common tropical tree. The 

 bark of this plant, remarkable for its stems being hollow between the nodes, is astringent, 

 and used in diarrhoea and gonorrhoea. The light porous wood is employed by the 

 American savages to give them light by friction. 



From a species of Antiaris (called by Mr. Nimmo Lepuraudra saccidom), sacks are 

 made in Western India by the following singular process. " A branch is cut corre- 

 sponding to the length and diameter of the sack wanted. It is soaked a httle, and then 

 beaten with clubs till the fibre separates from the wood. This done, the sack formed of 

 the bark is tm'ned inside out, and pulled do\\ii till the wood is sawed off, with the excep- 

 tion of a small piece left to form the bottom of the sack." These sacks are in general 

 use. A specimen of them was exhibited to the Liimrean Society some years ago. Here 

 there is no trace of the virulence of the Upas tree, and not^vithstanding the fatal charac- 

 ter of that species, others appear to be also inert. In the pro\dnce of Martaban, Dr. 

 WalUch found liis Water Vine (Phytocrene), whose singular soft and porous wood dis- 

 charges when woimded a very lai'ge quantity of pure and tasteless fluid, which is quite 

 wholesome, and is drunk by the natives. This is an extraordinary exception to the usual 

 character of the Order, and if the plant be really destitute of milk, it will break dowTi 

 very much the limit between Artocarpads and Nettleworts, unless, indeed, Phytocrene 

 is out of its place, which its copious allDumen (?) leads one to suspect, Martins says that 

 the fruit of Pom-omna bicolor is sub-acid, and worth cultivation, although mucilaginous. 

 Snake- wood, or Bois de Lettres, so called because of the markings which it presents, is 

 obtained from the Brosimum, called by Aublet Piratinera guianensis, atree 60 or 70 feet 

 high, whose beautiful timber is so hard that it can only be felled by the American axe. 

 — Schomh. 



GENERA. 



Brosimum, Swartz. 



Piratinera, Aubl. 



Galactodend'rum,^\iva.. 

 Antiaris, Leschen. 



Lepurandra, Nimmo. 

 Olmedia, Ruiz et Pav. 



Macquira, Aubl. 

 Trymatococcus, Pijpp. 

 Sorocea, St. Hit. 



Pourouma, Anhl. 

 Cecropia, Linn. 

 Musanga, Chr. Sm. 

 Coussapoa, Aiibl. 

 Myrianthus, Palis. 

 Artocarpus, Linn. 



Sitodium, Banks. 



Rademachia, Thunb. 



Soccus, Rumph. 



Polyphema, Loureir. 



Iridaps, Commers. 

 Conocephalus, Blume. 

 Gynocephalium, Blume. 

 Phj-tocrene, Wall. 

 ? Natsiatum, Hamilt. 

 Trophis, P. Br. 



Streblus, Loureir. 



Achymus, Soland. 



Pyrenacantha, Hooker- 

 * * * 



Bruea, Gaudich. 

 Perebea, Aiibl. 

 Bagassa, Aubl. 

 Castilloa, Cerv. 

 Aporosa, Blume. 

 Sciaphila, Blume. 



Numbers. Gen. 23. Sp. 54 ? 



Position. — Moraceae. — Artocarpace^. — Platanacese. 



