STANDLEY TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 263 



35. BATIDACEAE. 

 1. BATIS L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 1380. 1759. 

 1, Batis maritima L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 1380. 1759. 



On seacoasts, Tamaulipas to Yucatan ; Baja California and Sonora to 

 Colima and probably to Chiapas. Widely distributed in tropical America ; 

 Hawaii. 



Erect or prostrate shrub, sometimes a meter high ; leaves opposite, flesliy, 

 semiterete, 1 to 2.5 cm. long; flowers small, dioecious, in short axillary spikes. 

 "Lechuga de mar" (Nicaragua) ; " barrilla " (Porto Rico). 



The leaves have a salty flavor and have been eaten as a salad. In the 

 West Indies ashes of the plant have been used in the manufacture of soap 

 and glass. Descourtilz reports that the leaves were used in the treatment of 

 ulcers, and that they have aperitive and diuretic properties. 



36. PHYTOLACCACEAE. Pokeweed Family. 



Reference : Walter in Engl. Pflanzenreich IV. 83. 1909. 



Shrubs or small trees ; leaves alternate, entire ; flowers small, perfect or uni- 

 sexual ; corolla usually none. 



A number of herbaceous species of other genera occur in Mexico. It may be 

 that some of the Mexican species of Phytolacca become shrubs, but the v/riter 

 has seen no conclusive evidence to this effect. 



Petals 5 ; aril of the seed large. Fruit a capsule, 1 to 5-seeded. 



1. STEGNOSPERMA. 

 Petals none; aril small or none. 

 Ovary semi-inferior ; leaves cordate. Plants scandent ; fruit dry, 1-seeded. 



2. AGDESTIS. 

 Ovary superior ; leaves not cordate. 



Perianth 5-parted. Fruit baccate 3. ACHATOCARPTJS. 



Perianth 4-parted. 



Pedicels ebracteolate ; branches spinose 4. PHAULOTHAMNUS. 



Pedicels bracteolate ; branches not spinose. 

 Fruit dry ; flowers subsessile, appressed to the rachis. 



5. PETIVERIA. 

 Fi-uit baccate ; flowers pedicellate, not appressetl. 



Plants erect; stamens 4 6. RIVINA. 



Plants scandent ; stamens 8 to many 7. TRICHOSTIGMA. 



1. STEGNOSPERMA Benth. Bot. Voy. Sulph. 17. 1844. 

 I. Steg'nosperma halimifolium Benth. Bot. Voy. Sulph. 17. 1844. 



Baja California and Sonora to Oaxaca and Veracruz ; type from Baja Califor- 

 nia. Guateniuln and Nicaragua ; Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola. 



Glabi-ous shrub, 1 to 3.5 meters high ; leaves obovate or elliptic ; flowers per- 

 fect, racemose, green tinged with retl. " Aniole " (Baja California); " bledo 

 carbonero " ( Cuba ) . 



The powdered root is used in Baja California as a substitute for soap. The 

 plant has the reputation of being a cure for hydrophobia. It grows at low ele- 

 vations, usually near the seacoast. The flowers are borne at nearly all times 

 of the year. 



2. AGDESTIS Moc. & Sesse ; DC. Reg. Veg. Syst. 1 : 543. 1818. 

 1. Agdestis clematidea Moc. & Sesse ; DC. Reg. Veg. Syst. 1: 543. 1818. 



Nuevo Leon to Veracruz and Oaxaca. Western Texas ; Guatemala ; reported 

 from the West Indies and Brazil, but probably cultivated there. 



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