STANDLEY — TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 211 



figs ; it is purple and full of small red seeds ; the tree is fastened to the rocks, 

 and is a wonderful thing. The leaves have no perceptible odor or flavor; their 

 tenaperament is moist and cold. The decoction of the roots allays the thirst 

 of those who suffer from fever, alleviates pains of the chest, is purgative and 

 vomitive, and it is prepared by boiling three ounces of the roots with three 

 pounds of water until the half is consumed ; its milk cures sores of the lips 

 and chronic ulcers. The tree grows in mountainous and rough places about 

 Chietla, embracing the rocks, as I have said, and as the name itself indicates. 

 There is anotlier kind that has the same name and temperament, which, they 

 say, serves only for furnishing straight, smooth polos." Hernandez also gives 

 two easily recognizable figures of the plant (pp. 82, 409). 



■ Dr. Fernando Altamirano, quoted by Urbina,* describes the gum or rubber 

 obtained from this (and probably also from other) species of Fieiis as follows: 

 "The commercial Texcalama appears as rounded masses of variable dimensions. 

 This substance is elastic and adhesive and very ductile, gray in color, and 

 capable of being formed into membranes as delicate as soap bubbles, being in 

 this state white and transparent ; exposed to the air it hardens and assumes 

 a yellow tint, for which reason it slaould be kept in vessels full of water. In 

 boiling water it softens? and becomes more sticky. 



"Its density is greater than that of water; its odor is urine-like, and it has 

 scarcely any taste. 



" In its analysis I found 15 per cent of caoutchouc, .55 per cent of a resin 

 soluble in alcohol, and 5 per cent of a resin soluble in ether." 



This gum is used by surgeons and others in Mexico for treating broken bones, 

 hernia, etc. 



12. Ficus palmeri S. Wats. Proc. Amer. Acad. 24: 77. 1889. 



Ba ja California, on rocky hillsides ; type from San Martin Island. 



Tree, 4.5 to 10 meters high, with white trunk; stipules 1.5 to 2 cm. long; 

 leaves 6 to 14 cm. long ; receptacles 12 to 15 mm. in diameter. " Salate." 



This is presumably the tree described by Clavigero * as " anabS," in the fol- 

 lowing words : "Anal)6, is the name of a fruit similar to the fig, and of the tree 

 on which it is borne. The latter is large, the bark of its trunk and branches 

 whitish like that of the fig tree, and the fruit similar in color and shape to 

 the early figs but smaller, less juicy, and without the sweet flavor of our figs. 

 Nevertheless the California ns esteem it so highly that when they hear of an 

 anahd with ripe fruit they go to hunt for it and gather a supply of the fruit, 

 even though it may be four or five leagues distant. The wood of the anabd is 

 absolutely useless, and the roots are usually broader than thick, for since the 

 tree grows among rocks, it introduces its roots into the clefts, or, in default of 

 these, extends them over the rocks themselves. In Mexico, where it is known 

 by the name of salate, it fruits better and attains a larger size." 



13. Ficus brandegei Standi. Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 20: 22. 1917. 

 Known only from the type locality, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California. 

 Similar to the last species except for the complete absence of pubescence upon 



the leaves. 



14. Ficus pringlei S. Wats. Proc. Amer. Acad. 26: 150. 1891. 

 Jalisco; type from the barranca near Guadalajara. 



' Naturaleza 7: 98. 1900. 



' Historia de la California, 1789. This is the first work in which r>aja Cali- 

 fornia plants were described. Clavigero's information was furnished by a 

 brother of the Jesuit order, whose descriptions are remarkably vivid and 

 accurate. 



