794 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. • 



Large unarmed tree with smooth, green or gray bark ; leaflets petiolulate, 

 elliptic, oval, or obovate-elliptic, 10 to 24 cm. long, usually broadly rounded at 

 apex, thinly tomentose when young but in age nearly glabrous, thin ; calyx 

 about 1.5 cm. long, commonly with 10 glands at base ; petals 7 to 13 cm. long, 

 purplish ; stamens pink or white ; fruit oblong or ellipsoid, 10 cm. long, the 

 " cotton " dirty white. "Amapola," " amapola blanca," *' amapola colorada " 

 (Yucatan); " xcunche " (Yucat5,n, Maya); " xiloxochitl " (Nahuatl, "corn- 

 silk flower," from the resemblance of the stamens to com silk); " ceiba " 

 (Veracruz, Guerrero); " chilochuchi," " chicochuchi " (corruptions of the Na- 

 huatl name); " itztamatl," " titilaraatl " (Guerrero, Veracruz, Ramirez); 

 " pochote," " pochotl " (Mexico); " xanacol," " xihuicxan " (Veracruz); " yaco 

 de la costa," " cabellos de Sngel," " coquito," " disciplina," " jiquique," " lele," 

 " pongolote," " tiata " (Oaxaca, Reko) ; *' clavellina " (Guerrero); " doncella " 

 (Guatemala); "chicochuchi" (Conzatti). 



The tree blooms when leafless. The handsome flowers are often gathered for 

 decorations in churches and for similar purposes, and they were esteemed by 

 the Mexicans as one of their most beautiful flowers. The decoction of the bark 

 and root is used as a remedy for toothache and to harden the gums. 



This is probably the tree illustrated by Hernandez ^ and described in a chap- 

 ter entitled " De Xiloxochitl, Flore Capillaceo." He states that the bark was 

 highly valued as a remedy for ulcers, and for its diuretic properties. 



Bonibax eUipticum has been reported from YucatSn as Pachirm fastuosa 

 Decaisne and P. alba (Lodd.) Walp., and Mexican reports of Bombax ceiba L., 

 an Old World species, are probably referable here. Hemsley gives no reasons 

 for his segregation of B. mexicanum. The numerous specimens seen by the 

 writer exhibit some variation, especially in the size of the flowers, but all (in- 

 cluding some from the type locality of B. mexicanum) appear to be conspecific. 



2. Bombax palmeri S. Wats. Proe. Amer. Acad. 22: 399. 1887. 



Sonora to Jalisco ; type from the barranca near Guadalajara, Jalisco. 



Tree, 8 to 10 meters high or larger, the trunk 60 to 70 cm. in diameter, 

 covered with smooth green bark ; leaflets nearly sessile, obovate to nearly 

 orbicular, mostly 10 to 25 cm. long, rounded to acute at apex but usually 

 apiculate, tomentose on both surfaces when young but glabrate above in age ; 

 petals 10 to 17 cm. long, whitish-tomentulose outside ; stamens pink or purplish ; 

 fruit oblong or ellipsoid, 10 to 12 cm. long, the " cotton " brownish. " Cuajilote," 

 " guajilote," "clavellina" (Sinaloa) ; "clavellina de la barranca" (Jalisco). 



The tree flowers when leafless. The burned and powdered bark is applied to 

 wounds. 



EXCLUDED GENUS. 



Montezuma DC. Prodr. 1: 477. 1824. The single species, M. apecioaissima 

 DC, was based upon one of Sesse and Mociiio's drawings. No similar plant 

 has been found among recent Mexican collections, and it appears that 

 Montezuma is the Porto Rican plant, Thespesia grandiflora DC, which was 

 made the type of a new genus, Maga, by Urban.' 



97. STERCULIACEAE. Cacao Family. 



Trees, shrubs, or h,erbs, sometimes scandent, the pubescence chiefly stellate ; 

 leaves alternate, simple or rarely compound, stipulate ; flowers small or large, 

 chiefly in cymes, usually perfect, regular or sometimes zygomorphic; calyx 



' Thesaurus 68. 1651. 



• Symb. Antill. 7: 281. 1912. 



