STANDLEY TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 793 



Large tree with rounded crown ; leaflets 6 to 8, elliptic-oblong or obovate- 

 oblong, 8 to 10 cm. long, obtuse or acutisb, coriaceous, glabrous; calyx 1.5 cm. 

 long, minutely tomentulose; petals 7 to 11 mm. wide, minutely tomentulose 

 outside ; stamens purplish ; fruit subglobose. " Apompo," " zapote reventador " 

 (Veracruz); " sapoton " or " zapoton " (Guatemala, El Salvador); " pumpum- 

 juche" (El Salvador). 



The fruit is said to be as large as a coconut. The tree usually grows along 

 river banks. The seeds fall into the water, where they germinate and float 

 about with expanded cotyledons until they reach the bank and take root. The 

 leaves and flowers are said to be employed to relieve inflammation of the eyes, 

 and the seeds to be employed as a substitute for cacao. 



Pachira longifolia appears to be intended as a new name for P. macrocarpa, 

 but the plant illustrated is probably P. aquatica. For illustrations of P. macro- 

 carpa see Oontr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 18: p?. 6S, 69. 



2. Pachira aquatica Aubl. PI. Guian. 725. pi. 291, 292. 1775. 

 CaroUnea princeps L. f. Suppl. PI. 314. 1781. 



Veracruz and probably elsewhere ; reported from Tabasco and Chiapas, 

 Central and South America ; type from French Guiana. 



Large or small tree; leaflets 5 to 7, oblong, elliptic, or oblanceolate, 8 to 20 

 cm. long, acute to rounded at apex, coriaceous, glabrous or nearly so ; calyx 

 1.5 to 2 cm. long ; petals 10 to 15 mm. wide, greenish and tomentulose outside, 

 yellowish within; fruit ovoid, 10 to 30 cm. long. "Zapote bobo " (Tabasco, 

 Ramirez) ; " zapote de agua " (Chiapas, Rovirosa) ; " ceib6n de agua," " ceib6n 

 de arroyo," " castano silvestre " (Cuba). 



The tree is said to be known in British Honduras as " provision-tree." The 

 large seeds are often eaten, usually after having been roasted, and it is said 

 -that in the Guianas the young leaves are sometimes cooked and eaten. 



Here is to be referred Hemsley's report of P. insignis Savigny, a Brazilian 

 plant. Hemsley also reports P. minor (Sims) Hemsl. from Mexico, but the 

 original illustration^ of that species is unlike any Mexican plant of which the 

 writer has seen specimens. For illustrations of P. aquatica see Contr. U. S. 

 Nat. Herb. 18: pi. 70, 71. 



DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 

 PACHrBA AUREA Decaisue, Fl. Serr. Jard. 23: 47. 1880. Type from Xochicalco. 



6. BOMBAX L. Sp. PI. 511. 1753. 



Large trees, unarmed ; leaflets usually 5, entire ; peduncles axillary, solitary 

 or fasciculate, 1-flowered ; calyx truncate ; petals oblong-linear, usually less 

 than 15 cm. long; stamen tube very short, the filaments simple and all rising 

 directly from it ; fruit a 5-celled woody capsule, densely lanate within ; seeds 

 small, buried in the wool or " cotton." 



Leaves glabrous beneath or nearly so, at least in age 1. B. ellipticum. 



Leaves tomentose beneath, even in age 2. B. palmeri, 



1. Borabax ellipticum H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 5: 299. 1821. 



CaroUnea fastuosa DC Prodr. 1: 478. 1824. 



Bortibax mexicanum Hemsl. Diag. PI. Mex. 4. 1878. 



Jalisco to San Luis PotosI, Veracruz, YucatSn, and Oaxaca ; type from Chil- 

 pancingo, Guerrero. Guatemala. 



' Sims in Curtis's Bot. Mag. 34: pi. l-'il2. 1811. 



