THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 207 



being light and soft, but from the bark is obtained the medicinal drug, quassia. 

 This tree has not been found in the Bahamas except where we collected it at 

 the junction of Soldiers road and the Blue Hills road, New Providence. It 

 occurs in Florida, Cuba, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Brazil. (Jessup Coll.) 



BuRSERA siMARUBA (L.) Sarg. (Grum-elemi). 



A good-sized tree with very soft and spongy wood. From it is obtained 

 the " gum-elemi '^ of commerce, used in medicine and for varnish. Branches 

 of this tree Avhen cut off and stuck in the ground will take root and grow in 

 the most barren soil. We saw a row of them, thus planted, flourishing on 

 the sand dunes at Governors Harbor, Eleuthera. It is found on New Provi- 

 dence, Andros, Abaco, Eleuthera, Long, Cat and Watlings Islands, in south 

 Florida, and most of tropical America. (Jessup Coll.) 



In addition to the above-mentioned medicinal plants, there are a great 

 many others that are used by the negroes for various complaints. Some of 

 the more commonly used are the following: Ipomea pes-caprce Sw. (Bay hop), 

 Tetrazygia hicolor (Mill.) Cogn. (Wild Guava), Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus 

 L. (Hardhead), Bourreria liavanensis (L.) Miers (Strong-back), Cordia ha- 

 liamensis Urban (Granny-bush), Turnera uhnifolia L. (Buttercup), Bryo- 

 phyllum pinnatum (Lam.) S. Kurz (Live-forever), Pluchea odorata (L.) 

 Cass. (Sour-bush). 



INDIGENOUS FRUITS. 

 The indigenous flora of the Bahamas has contributed no fruits that have 

 proved worthy of cultivation. The best of them are hardly equal to our per- 

 simmon, and most of those given below are included only because they are con- 

 sidered edible by the natives. 



Chrysophyllum oliviforme Lam. (Damson Plum, Wild Star-apple, Saffron) . 

 A tree 20 to 25 feet high, of the same genus as the cultivated star-apple 

 {Chrysophyllum cainito L.). Wood hard, heavy, valued for charcoal-making. 

 We did not see the fruits and know nothing of its quality except that it is said 

 to be edible. New Providence, Andros and many of the West Indies. (Jes- 

 sup Coll.) 



Tetrazygia bicolor (Mill.) Cogn. (Wild Guava, Naked Wood). 

 A small tree or shrub. The wood is said to have been used for gin rollers 

 when cotton was an important product of the Islands. The fruit is considered 

 edible. New Providence, Andros, Abaco and Long Islands; also in Cuba. 



