818 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



The tough stems are sometimes used in the construction of huts, for tying 

 the larger timbers of the framework. The leaves are employed as a substitute 

 for sandpaper. 



The seeds of DariUa rugosa Poir, which is known in Nicaragua as " hoja- 

 chigiie " and in Cuba as " bejuco castafio " are said to have violent and dan- 

 gerous emetic-cathartic properties. The bark of one of the Brazilian species 

 is reported to yield a black dye. 



3. TETRACERA L. Sp. PI. 533. 1753. 



Scandent shrubs ; leaves with numerous parallel lateral nerves ; flowers 

 paniculate, the panicles terminal or in the upper axils ; sepals 4 to 6, spreading, 

 the petals of the same number ; fruit of 1 to 5 carpels, the ovules numerous but 

 the seeds 1 to 5, surrounded by a thin aril. 



The name " bejuco de agua " frequently applied to these plants is derived from 

 the fact that the stems, when cut, yield a large amount of clear water. They 

 are often a satisfactory source of water to travelers in the dry tropical forests 

 when surface water is absent. 



Fruit of 3 to 5 carpels; sepals sericeous within 1. T. volubilis. 



Fruit of a single carpel; sepals glabrous within 2. T. sessiliflora. 



1. Tetracera volubilis L. Sp. PI. 533. 1753. 



Tetracera erecta Sess6 & Moc. ; DC. Reg. Veg. Syst. 1 : 404. 1818. 



Tetrncera alata Presl, Rel. Haenk. 2: 71. 1836. 



? Tetracera salici folia Presl, Rel. Haenk. 2: 71. 1836. 



Veracruz and Oaxaca, and probably elsewhere. West Indies, Central America, 

 and South America. 



Large vine ; leaves short-petiolate, obovate-oblong or obovate, 7 to 18 cm. 

 long, rounded or short-pointed at apex, decurrent at base, serrulate or nearly 

 entire, coriaceous, very scabrous ; panicles usually large ; sepals rounded, un- 

 equal, 3 to 5 mm. long ; carpels 7 to 10 mm. long, short-beaked, sparsely hairy at 

 the apex. " Hoja-chigiie " (Nicaragua); " raspa," " raspa-guacales " (Costa 

 Rica); "bejuco chaparro," "bejuco tom6 " (Colombia); "bejuco guarS," 

 " bejuco carey " (Cuba) . 



The seeds and leaves are used in domestic medicine, sudorific, antisypliilitic, 

 febrifuge, and diuretic properties being attributed to them. 



2. Tetracera sessiliflora Triana & Planch. Ann. Sci. Nat. IV. 17: 21. 1862. 

 Delima mexicana Sesse & Moc; DC. Reg. Veg. Syst. 1: 407. 1818. Not (?) 



Tetracera mexicana Eichl. 1863. 



Delima dioica Sesse & Moc. PI. Nov. Hisp. 89. 1887. 



Tepic to Guerrero. Central America and Colombia ; type from Colombia. 



Large vine; leaves short-petiolate, oblong, oblanceolate-oblong, or obovate, 6 

 to 20 cm. long, rounded or obtuse at apex, decurrent at base, remotely dentate, 

 very scabrous ; panicles large and many-flowered ; flowers white ; sepals rounded, 

 densely pubescent; carpels 6 to 8 mm. long, lustrous; wood very porous, pale 

 brownish pink, coarse-grained, soft. "Bejuco de agua" (Michoacan, Guer- 

 rero ) . 



The flowers are sweet-scented. The stems are often used as a substitute for 

 rope, and the rough leaves for polishing wood. 



DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 



Tetracera mexicana Eichl. in Mart. Fl. Bras. 13': 87. 1863. Based upon a 

 specimen from " Onitaco," Mexico. No proper description of the plant has been 



