492 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



1. Climacorachis mexicana Henisl. & Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 8:43. 1903. 

 Knowu only from tlie type locality, in the Sierra Madre west of Bolaiios, 



Jalisco. 



Leaflets 9 to 12 i)airs, linear, 4 to 5 mm. long; fruit 5 to 10 mm, long. 



2. Climacorachis fruticosa Hemsl. & Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 8:44. 1903. 

 Known only from the type locality, moimtains near Talpa, Jalisco, altitude 



1,320 to 1,500 meters. 



Leaflets sometimes 20 pairs, 7 mm. long. 



35. ABRUS Adans. Fam. PI. 2: 327. 1763. 

 1. Abrus precatorius L. Syst. Nat. ed. 12. 2: 472. 1767. 



Glycine abnis L. Sp. PI. 753. 1753. 



Veracruz ; reported from Yucatan. West Indies, South America, Asia, and 

 Africa. 



Scandent shrub with pinnate leaves ; leaflets numerous, oblong, 1 to 1.5 cm, 

 long, bright green, very obtuse ; flowers racemose, pink or purplish ; fruit short, 

 broad; seeds 4 to 6, scarlet, blaclj about the hilum. " Xocoac," " xoxoag " 

 (Yucatan, Maya); " peonia " (Cuba); " peroula," " peronilas " (Porto Rico); 

 "bru.iitos," " chochitos de Indio, " " pionias," " peronilla " (Colombia). 



The English names are " bead-vine," " wild licorice," and " crab's-eyes." 

 Stems strong and used as cordage. The leaves and I'oot have the flavor of 

 licorice, and the latter is sometimes employed as a substitute for that article. 

 The root is said to contain glycyrrhizin, the principle found in true licorice 

 {GlycyrrMza glabra L.). The leaves are sensitive to changes in light intensity; 

 they droop vertically during the night and rise to a horizontal position in the 

 morning. Lunan states that the dried leaves were used in India as a substitute 

 for tea. 



The plant is reporteil to have poisoned cattle in India, and the seeds are cer- 

 tainly poisonous. They have been used in that country for criminal poisoning, 

 but are said to be inert if swallowed whole. It is said that the poisonous pro- 

 erties are destroyed by heat and that the seeds have been used for food in some 

 countries, but this is perhaps erroneous. They contain abric acid and two pro- 

 teid poisons, to one of which the name abrine has been given. They are known 

 in commerce as "jeqnirity seeds," and have been employed by European phy- 

 sicians in treating diseases of the eye and skin. The seeds are very handsome 

 and are strung into bracelets and necklaces. Because of their uniformity in size 

 thoy were formerly used as weights by jewel merchants. The leaves are ap- 

 plied externally to swellings in India and are chewed with sugar for coughs. 



36. RAMIREZELLA Rose, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 8: 44. 1903. 



Scandent plants, f ruticose, at least at the base ; leaves pinnately trifoliolate, 

 the leaflets large; flowers racemose, at first covered with large striate bracts; 

 fruit linear, compressed, bivalvate. 



The species are very closely related, and more material is necessary to de- 

 termine their validity. 



Fruit densely pilose; calyx short-pilose 1. R. pubescens. 



Fruit and calyx glabrous or nearly so. 



Peduncles and rachis glabrous or nearly so 2. R. buseri. 



Peduncles and rachis of the inflorescence copiously pilose. 



Lower calyx lobes acute 3. R. pringlei. 



Lower calyx lobes rounded or obtuse 4. R. strobilophora. 



1. Ramirezella pubescens Hose, Contr. U, S. Nat. Herb. 8: 45. 1903. 



Known only from the type locality, between Tlapa and Tlaliscatilla, Guerrero, 

 altitude 1,170 to 1,350 meters. 



