word meaning ash . The ash of this wood may have had formerly 

 some application that gave origin to the name, but this is 

 not shown by any information on record. 



In Ghiriqui and Gosta Rica, the v/ood of the Ivlexican elm 

 is used for building purposes, though only to a verj'- snail 

 extent. 



Moraceae 



The Panaman Letterv/ood 



Piratinera panamensis Pittier 



lilescription of the tree 



A laticiferous tree up to 25 m. high and 60 cm. diameter 

 at the base, the bark grayish, smooth, the crown irregular, 

 depressed. Leaves small, chartaceous, the uetioles 3 to 7 

 mm. long, canaliculate, minutely, puberulous, the blades ovate- 

 oblong, rounded or subacute at the base, abruptly and shortly 

 obtuse acuminate, 4 to 10 cm. long, 2.5 to 3.5 cm. broad, 

 glabrous, the venation ^^rominulous above, paler and minutely 

 puberulous, the venation more prominent beneath; primary 

 veins y to 14. Stipules 3 mra. long, lanceolate, pubescent, 

 caducous. Receptacles single in the axils of the leaves, tur- 

 binate at the base, flat, 1 to 1.5 em. in diameter, orbicu- 

 lar or polygonal subconial at the flower-bearing apex; pe- 

 duncles slender, minutely puberulous, 10 to 15 mm. long; 

 interfloral bracts orbicular, peltate, grayish puberulous. 

 Perianth pf the male flowers yellow, tubular, 0.2 to 0.4 

 mm. long, raonophyllous but split on one side; stamen 1, 

 exerted, the anther 2-celled. .-'emale flowers 2 or more to 

 each receptacle, without a perianth; style short with only 

 the 2 divaricate stigmas showing on the surface of the re- 

 ceptacle, j'ruit globose or subpyriform, 1 to 3-3eeded. 



