I 



STANDLEY TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 1113 



Plants suffrutescent, subscandent, 1 to 3 meters high, glabrous except in the 

 inflorescence; leaves short-petiolate, oblong to ovate, acuminate, acute at base; 

 spikes long and slender, many-flowered; calyx about 1 cm. long; corolla 2.5 

 to 3.5 cm. long. " Canutillo " (Sinaloa) ; "hierba de alacnln " (Sinaloa, Jalisco, 

 Oaxaca, San Luia PotosI, Guanajuato); "hierba del negro" (Conzatti) ; 

 "lagana de perro " (Morelos, Seler) ; " chapak " (Yucattin, Maya, Seler) ; 

 "pitillo" (flower), " turicua " (Tamaul'pas) ; "dentelaria " (Oaxaca, Reko) ; 

 " tlalchichinolli," " tlepatli " (Nahuatl) ; " embeles," " jazmin azul " (Yucatan) ; 

 "beleza," " veleza enredadera," " meladillo," " higuillo " (Porto Rico); " cen- 

 tella," "hierba del d ablo " (Colombia); " pegajoso " (Tamaulipas, Sinaloa); 

 " guacochile " (El Salvador). 



The leaves and root when applied to the skin produce almost instant rube- 

 faction and in a very short time blisters. Taken internally they are poisonous. 

 A decoction is applied externally for erysipelas, itch, and similar affections. 

 Plumbago europaea L., of Europe, has similar properties. It is used inter- 

 nally as an emetic. When chewed, the plant excites the flow of saliva. The 

 root has long been employed to relieve toothache, hence the French name of 

 " dentelaire." Beggars are said sometimes to employ the leaves to raise sores 

 upon the body for the purpose of exciting pity. 



This species was listed by Sessd and Mociiio as P. zeylanica, an Old World 

 species. 



2, Plumbago pulchella Boiss. in DC. Prodr. 12: 692. 1848. 



Plumbago lanceolata Sesse & Moc. Fl. Mex. 31. 1893. 



Durango to Veracruz and Oaxaca ; type from the City of Mexico. 



Plants herbaceous or suffrutescent, subscandent, glabrous except in the in- 

 florescence; leaves petiolate, ovate, acute, acute or attenuate at base; spikes 

 many-flowered, lax ; calyx about 6 mm. long ; corolla 10 to 15 ram. long. 

 "Pafiete" (Quer^taro, Mexico); "jiricua" (Mexico, Guanajuato); " domin- 

 guilla" (Durango); "cola de iguana" (Mexico); " tiricua " (Guanajuato); 

 "hierba del negro" (Oaxaca); "cola de pescado " (Mexico); " curiqua " 

 (MichoacSn, Tarascan, Ledn) ; " chilillo " (Oaxaca, Ramirez) ; "hierba del ala- 

 cran" (Zacatecas) ; "hierba lumbre" (Oaxaca, Zacatecas) ; " tianquiz " (Que- 

 r^taro, Ramirez); "tlepatli" ("fire-medicine"), " tlachichinol" (Nahuatl). 



This is employed in Mexico like P. scandens, especially for toothache and to 

 destroy ulcers. It is also used popularly as a remedy for rheumatism. 



134. SAPOTACEAE. Sapote Family. 



Shrubs or trees, sometimes armed with spines, the sap often milky ; leaves 

 alternate, entire, petiolate, ei-tipulate, usually persistent; flowers axillary or 

 lateral, small, white or gi-eenish, perfect; sepals 4 to 12, imbricate; corolla 

 gamopetalous, appendages often present between the lobes; stamens as many 

 as the corolla lobes, borne upon the corolla, usually alternating with stami- 

 nodia ; ovary 4 to 12-celled, the styles united, the ovules solitary ; fruit baccate 

 or drupaceous, small or large. 



Staminodia none 1. CHRYSOPHYLLUM. 



Staminodia present. 

 Appendages (2) present between the corolla lobes. 



Ovary glabrous; endosperm abundant 2. DIPHOLIS. 



Ovary hairy ; endosperm scant or none 3. BUMELIA. 



