ST4.NDLEY TEEES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 637 



13. Jatropha gossypiifolia L. Sp. PI. 1006. 1753. 



Veracruz and perhaps elsewhere. Widely distributed in tropical America ; 

 ;also in western Africa (adventive ?). 



Shrub, 1 to 2 meters high ; leaves 10 to 15 cm. wide, 3 or 5-parted, the lobes 

 acute; flowers purplish. " Frailecillo " (Costa Rica, Cuba, Venezuela, Colom- 

 bia) ; " frailejon," " purga de fraile " (Colombia); " ttiatua " (Venezuela, 

 Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Cuba) ; " San Juan del Cobre " (Cuba) ; " higuereta 

 cimarrona " (Porto Rico). 



The seeds are eaten by doves and domestic fowls. They contain much oil 

 and have drastic purgative and emetic properties. A decoction of the leaves 

 is employed as a blood purifier and for venereal diseases, and is administered 

 as an emetic for pains in the stomach. The root has some repute as an anti- 

 dote for snake bites and as a remedy for the poison of manchineel {Hippomane 

 mancinella) . 



14. Jatropha podagrica Hook, in Curtis's Bot. Mag. pi. 4376. 1848. 

 Puebla, probably cultivated. Central America ; cultivated in the West Indies. 

 Plants mostly 1 meter high or less, glabrous ; leaves long-petiolate, peltate, 



10 to 20 cm. long, deeply 3 or 5^1obate, the lobes broad, acute or obtuse, entire ; 

 cymes long-pedunculate, the flowers red ; petals 6 to 7 mm. long ; capsule 1.5 cm. 

 long. " Ruibarbo " (El Salvador). 



15. Jatropha multifida L Sp. PI. 1006. 1753. 



Reported from Veracruz, but perhaps only cultivated. V/idely distributed 

 in tropical America ; naturalized in the tropics of the Old World. 



Shrub or tree, sometimes 6 meters high, glabrous ; leaves with numerous 

 narrow lobes; flowers red or purplish, the petals 4 to 7 mm. long; capsule 

 nearly 3 cm. long. " Cabalongo " (Veracruz, Seler) ; " chicaquil " (Costa 

 Rica) ; " tartora," " pinon " (Venezuela) ; " yuca cimarrona" (Santo Domingo). 



The leaves are said to be cooked sometimes as a vegetable. The yellow sap 

 is used in Brazil in the treatment of wounds, and the roasted seeds for fevers 

 and venereal diseases. The seeds are purgative like those of many other 

 species. 



16. Jatropha purpurea Rose & Pax in Engl. Pflanzenreich IV. 147: 42. /. 15. 

 1910. 



Dry hillsides, Sinaloa and southern Baja California ; tYDe from Agiabampo, 

 Sonora. 



Shrub, about 2.5 meters high, with thin, papery, pale brown bark ; leaves 

 slender-petiolate, 4 cm. wide or narrower, more or less 3-lobate; petals 7 to 

 8 mm. long. 



17. Jatropha longipedunculata T. S. Brandeg. Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 7: 328. 

 1920. 



Jatropha nrens longipedunculata T S. Brandeg. Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 6: 

 368. 1917. 



Veracruz ; type from Zacuapan. 



Shrub or small tree, 5 meters high or less, nearly glabrous ; leaves long- 

 petiolate, 12 to 27 cm. long, 3 or 5-lobate, cordate at base, the lobes acute or 

 acuminate, coursely dentate; petals 5 mm. long; capsule about 1 cm. long. 



18. Jatropha spathulata (Orteg.) Muell. Arg. in DC. Prodr. 15': 1081. 1866. 

 ? Jatropha dioica Cervant. Supl. Gac. Lit. Mex. 4. 1794. 



Mozinna spathulata Orteg. Hort. Matr. Dec. 105. pi. 13. 1799. 

 Loureira cuneifolia Cav. Icon. PI. 5: 17. pi. ^29. 1799. 



Zimapania schiedeana Engl. & Pax in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. 3': 119. 

 f. 75. 1890. 



