STANDLEY TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 827 



Domingo," " zapote Domingo" (Veracruz); " raamey " (Tabasco, Costa Rica, 

 Quba, Porto Rico). 



Tlie English name for the fruit is " mammee-apple." The tree has been 

 introduced into Mexico from the West Indies. The trunk is sometimes as much 

 as a meter in diameter ; the crown is broad, and the leaves of a deep rich green. 

 The fruit varies somewhat in shape, being either globose or ellipsoid ; its thick 

 leathery skin is russet-colored, and when cut a yellowish sap exudes from it. 

 The flesh is firm but juicy ; its flavor somewhat resembles that of the apricot, 

 especially when cooked. The fruit is eaten raw, often being served with wine 

 or sugar and cream ; it is also made into preserves or .iam. A liqueur, known ns 

 " eau de cr^ole " or "creme de crgole," is distilled from the flowers in the French 

 West Indies. The wood is hard, durable, and beautifully grained, and takes a 

 high polish. It is used for building purposes and cabinetwork. 



The gum obtained from the bark is used to extract chiggers from the skin and 

 to kill ticks and other parasites upon domestic animals. In Venezuela the 

 powdered seeds are used in the same way. and also for cutaneous diseases. 

 Febrifuge properties have been ascribed to the leaves. 



4. RHEEDIA L. Sp. PI. 1193. 1753. 



1. Rheedia edulis (Seem.) Triana & Planch. Ann. Sci. Nat. IV. 14: .310. 1S60. 



CalophyUum edule Seem. Bot. Voy. Herald 89. 1853. 



Oaxaca. Central America ; type from Panama. 



Tree, aboiit 15 meters high ; leaves short-petiolate, lance-oblong or narrowly 

 oblong, 6 to 13 cm. long, obtuse or acutish at base and apex, glabrous, cori- 

 aceous ; peduncles axillary, usually fasciculate, 1-flowered, 1.5 to 2 em. long ; 

 sepals 2; petals 4, about 6 mm. long; stamens 10 to 12; fruit olive-like, about 

 2.5 cm. long, 1 or 2-seeded, with scant flesh. " Jorco " (Costa Rica) ; " sastra " 

 (Panama). 



The fruit is sweet and edible. This is probably the plant reported by Sess6 

 and Mocino ^ as Rheedia lateriflora, a name which belongs to a West Indian 

 species. 



104. FKANKENIACEAE. Frankenia Family. 



1. FRANKENIA L. Sp. PI. 331. 1753. 



Small much-branched shrubs with jointed stems ; leaves small, opposite, 

 estipulate, entire, often fasciculate; flowers perfect, solitary, sessile, pink; 

 calyx tubular, persistent, 4 to 6-lobate; petals 4 to 6, free, imbricate; stamens 

 usually 6 ; fruit a capsule, 1-celled, usually with 3 parietal placentae, included 

 in the calyx, the seeds 2 to several. 



Leaves flat when fresh; style 3-cleft ; ovules numerous 1. F. grandifolia. 



Leaves with strongly revolute margins ; style 2-cleft ; ovules 2 or 3. 



2. F. palmeri. 



1. Frankenia grandifolia Cham. & Schlecht. Linnaea 1: 35. 1826. 



In saline or alkaline soil, noithern Baja California. California. 



Plants chiefly herbaceous, suffrutescent at base, 30 em. high or less, puber- 

 ulent ; leaves obovate to oblong, mostly 8 to 15 mm. long, obtuse, short-petiolate ; 

 calyx 6 to 7 mm. long, angulate, pilosulous ; petals usually 5, purple ; stamens 

 4 to 7. " Hierba reuma " (California). 



The plant has a salty flavor and contains a large amount of sodium chloride. 

 It also contains about 6 per cent of tannin. The extract of the plant is ap- 

 plied topically and also taken internally for catarrhal affections, especially those 

 of the nasal and genito-urinary passages. 



'PI. Nov. Hisp. 86. 1887. 



