i 
QUASSIA SIMARUBA, ORD. rege Gruinales. ; B72 
under this name it has since been described by the younger 
Linnzus in the Supp. Plantarum. Dr. Wright, to whose betanical 
researches we are much indebted, says, “ in 1773, specimens of 
the fructification-were sent (from Jamaica) in spirits, accompanied 
with a botanical account of the tree, to my late worthy. friend Dr. 
Hope, Professor. of Botany in the University of Edinburgh ; also 
some dried bark from the roots. The following year, specimens, 
with similar description, were transmitted to my late learned friend 
Dr. John Fothergill, of London, who sent them to the celebrated 
Linnzus at Upsal, as appears by. Professor Murray’s Apparatus 
Medicaminum.* Dr. Fothergill caused elegant drawings. to be 
made of this plant, and these drawings I_now have the honour of 
presenting to the Royal Society of Edinburgh.”® By the assistance 
of Mr, Alexander Anderson a plant of this species has been lately. 
introduced into the Royal garden at Kew.‘ The cortex. Simarube 
of.the shops is the bark of the roots of this tree, which, according 
to.Dr. Wright, “ is rough,.scaly, and warted. The. inside, when 
fresh; is a full yeHow, but when dry, paler: it kas but little-smell: 
the taste is bitter, but nat disagreeable.’ ‘ Macerated_ in water, 
or in rectified spirit, it quickly impregnates. both menstrua with 
its. bitterness, and with a yellow tincture. It seems to give out its 
virtue. more perfectly to cold, than tg boiling, water; the cold 
infusion being rather stronger in taste than the decoction ; which. 
last, of a transparent yellow colour whilst hot, grows fread and of 
a reddish brown, as it cools, The milky appearance, which Jussieu 
© * Qualis vera ejusdem arbor sit; jamjam Audletié indagine cognoscimus ; ut 
‘tamen et mihi moncre incumbat, b. Linnewm, Egquitem, litteris jama. 1776. 
dneunte mihi datis, antequam <Auédletii elegantissimum opus illi- innotesceret, 
‘significasse, Simarubum Quassie speciem a se haberi. Hle autem Simarube 
cortex, quo et. Wright (Conf. Bibl. mea med. 2. tii. p. 483) arborem in Jamaica 
*vulgarem yestitam esse innuit, pariter in alvi profluviis efficaci, discrepat a vulgo. 
‘usituto cortice, ut specimine mihi misso reperio, quod scilicet tenue est, tenacius, 
ii ait pallidius, obtectum extrinsecus verrucis. exiguis fere ap cebes valde 
amarum.” Vol. iti. p. 458.. 
OES. €. pe 74s « See Aiton’s Hort, Kez. 
