658 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL, HERBARIUM. 



(Tabasco, Rovirosa) ; " ciruelo obo," " obo de zopilote " (Oaxaca, Reko) ; " jobo 

 herabra," "jobo negro," " jobito," " ciruela agria," " ciruela loca " (Cuba); 

 "jocote de jobo" (Nicaragua); "palo de mulato " (Guatemala). 



This species is rather rare in Mexico but it is sometimes found in cultiva- 

 tion; it may be that it is not native there. Spondias lutea is similar to S.momhin 

 in its properties, but the fruit, although larger, is of inferior quality. The 

 wood is described as soft but strong, grayish yellow, with a specific gravity 

 of about 0.508. This species has doubtless been confused in Mexico with 

 oS. mombin. In the latter the fruit is either purple or yellow, while in S. lutea 

 it is always yellow. 



Spondias lutea is treated at length by Oviedo (Lib. Villi, Cap. II) under the 

 name "hobo" (a word of Carib origin). "The j-ouug shoots of this tree," he 

 states, " are good for shaving the face, and for bathing the limbs, and they are 

 of exquisite odor. The bark of the hobo tree, boiled and used to bathe the 

 limbs, is astringent and relieves exhaustion due to traveling, and it is a 

 healthful bath. And when in the country men seek a sleeping place they try 

 to have it beneath this tree, for its shade keeps off the dew and never causes 

 headache as many other trees do. * * * There may be mentioned another 

 property of this tree which can be tested any day that one wishes or that 

 necessity compels. When in traveling water can not be found and men are 

 suffering from thirst, if trees of this sort are at hand they dig out the roots, 

 and cutting a piece put one end in the mouth and raise the other, whereupon 

 there comes forth enough water to satisfy any thirsty man. * * * This 

 have I tried, as well as many others overcome by thirst, and it was learned 

 from the Indians." 



2. TAPIRIBA Aubl. PI. Guian. 1 : 470. 1775. 

 1. Tapirira mexicana Marchand, Rev. Anacard. 162. 1869. 

 Veracruz. 



Large tree ; leaves pinnate, glabrous, the leaflets 5 to 9, oblong or oblong- 

 lanceolate, 6 to 10 cm. long, obtuse or acute ; flowers small, paniculate, poly- 

 gamo-dioecious ; branches of the inflorescence appressed-pubescent ; sepals 5 ; 

 petals 5, 2.5 mm. long, ovate ; stamens 10 ; fruit an ovoid drupe, about 1.7 cm. 

 long. 



3. CYRTOCARPA H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 7: 19. 1825. 



Trees ; leaves pinnate, deciduous, the leaflets entire, densely pubescent 

 beneath ; flowers small, in axillary panicles, polygamous ; sepals 5, ovate, imbri- 

 cate ; petals 5, oval, spreading ; stamens 10 ; fruit a large drupe, the stone 1 or 

 2-celled. 



Leaflets about 17, oblong or lance-oblong, mostly 4 to 7 cm. long — 1. C. procera. 

 Leaflets usually 7 to 11, mostly oval, 1 to 3 cm. long 2. C. eduUs. 



1. Cyrtocarpa procera H. B. K, Nov. Gen. & Sp. 7: 20. i)l. 609. 1825. 



Dasycarya mexicana Liebm. Nat. For. Kjobenhavn Vid. Medd. 1853: 98. 1854 



Tapirira purpusii T. S. Brandeg. Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot. 3: 382. 1909. 



Jalisco to Puebla and Oaxaca ; type from Mexcala, Guerrero. 



Tree, 6 meters high or larger, densely pubescent throughout ; leaflets opposite 

 or the upper ones alternate, obtuse or acutish, the rachis often narrowly 

 winged ; panicles about 6 cm. long ; petals white, 3 mm. long ; fruit pubescent, 

 about 2 cm. long. " Copaljocote," " copalcocote " (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Jalisco, 

 Morelos; from the Nahuatl copalxocotl) ; "copal" (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Rami- 

 rez); " copalhi " i Ramirez ) ; " maxocote " (Oaxaca, Villada) ; " popoaqua " 

 (Tarascan) ; " chupandia " (Consatti). 



