STANDLEY — TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 207 



" moral " probably refers to some plant of the family Moraceae, and " drag6n " 

 perhaps to a Jatropha. After being stripped from the trees, the bark is 

 washed with lye water taken from the com soaked for tortillas, washed in 

 fresh water, thoroughly boiled, and split into thin strips. These the women 

 arrange carefully upon a wooden plank and then beat with a stone until a 

 sheet of paper results. The side of the sheet next to the board is smooth, 

 the other somewhat rough. The paper is dried in the sun. The paper obtained 

 from the " moral " is white ; that from "xalama " purplish. It is said that the 

 bark of the " ule " (Castilla) also is used. 



Because of the purposes for which the paper is employed, its preparation is 

 generally conducted with great secrecy. It is used for decorations in various 

 ceremonies, especially those of pagan origin. More commonly, however, it is 

 used for " brujerfa " (witchcraft), and for this it is cut into " munecos," 

 representing human beings, horses, and other animals, and these are employed 

 to work injury to people and domestic animals, being buried in front of a house 

 or in a corral. The munecos are employed also for curing disease, applied 

 directly to the affected part. 



This ceremonial use of the bark paper is the last remnant of a common 

 practice of ancient times. Before the conquest paper banners were employed 

 as offerings to the gods at certain feasts, and crowns of paper also were offered, 

 and were worn by those who took part in the ceremonies. 



The vernacular names applied to the species of Ficus are very numerous, 

 and many of them are listed under the species enumerated below. In Jalisco, 

 according to Urbina, they are usually known as " camichin " or " zalate." The 

 former name, which is used elsewhere also, is applied to the species having 

 smaller fruits than those known by the name " zalate." The word camicMn, 

 he states, is written more properly coamichin {=coatl, snake+ niichin, fish= 

 fish-snake=eel). This name was probably given because of the adventitious 

 roots, which might be taken to resemble eels. A name widely used in Mexico 

 for fig trees is am-ate; this is a modification of the Nahuatl word amatl, " paper," 

 applied to the tree. It is interesting to note that the Tarascan word for paper, 

 siranda, also is used as a name for the fig tree. The name " macahuite " 

 (Nahuatl, 07?ic-c«a/i«{n=fig-tree) is said to be used in central Mexico. The 

 word amatl is preserved in such place names as Amatitliin, "among the fig 

 trees " ; Amatepec, " the hill of the figs " ; Amecameca, " place where they wear 

 fig shirts." 



Peduncles solitary ; involucre trilobate; stamens 2. (Subgenus Phabmacosyce.) 

 Leaves hirtellous or short-pilose beneath ; receptacles pilose or hirtel- 



lous 1. F. glaucescens. 



Leaves glabrous or merely scabrous beneath ; receptacles glabrate or scabrous. 



Branchlets densely pilose-sericeous 2. F. radulina. 



Branchlets glabrous or puberulent. 



Leaves rounded and apiculate at the apex 5. F. radula. 



Leaves gradually acute or acuminate at the apex. 



Leaf blades about 4 times as long as broad, acute at the base, 



glabrous 3. F. segoviae. 



Leaf blades not more than two and a half times as long as broad, 

 usually very obtuse or rounded at the base, commonly scabrous. 



4. F. mexicana. 

 Peduncles geminate ; involucre bilobate ; stamen 1. ( Subgenus Ukostigma. ) 

 Involucre very asymmetric, attached excentrically to the peduncle. 



6. F. tecolutensis. 



