64 



while the Central AnieriGan name, used also in Panama, is 

 nanoe. aS referred above, the natives distinguished two va- 

 rieties, the nance Colorado and the nance bianco , and they 

 use the first for beams in house-building, as it is very 

 durable if not in contact with the earth. 'J?he decoction of 

 the bark is said to be effective against certain skin di- 

 seases and from the fermented fruits a kind if chicha, or 

 refreshing drink, is obtained, which is very much relished 

 bi most Panamanians. 



Hutaceae 

 The common Satin-./ocd Tree 



aanthoxylum elephantiasis Llacfad.. r'l. Jamaica. 1:193.1837. 



Descrijjtion of the tree 



A middle sized, dioecious tree, about 15 ra. high, 40 to 

 75 Gta. in diameter; trunk usually erect, the barl: jrayish co- 

 vered with large, deiiressed suberose cushions, these acule- 

 ate at the apex and inserted with their longer diaaeter 

 transverse to the axis of the tree; branches ascendent; crown 

 elongate; sterile branchlets prickly. Leaves exstipulate, 

 imparipinnate , glabrous; rachis 10 to 25 cm. long; leaflets 

 5 to 17, the j.vetiolules about 1 cm. long, the blades ovate 

 or obovate to narrow elliptic, rounded at the base, obtuse, 

 4 to 11 cm. long, 1.5 to 3.5 cm. bread, dark green above, 

 paler beneath, densely transparent dotted, the margin broadly 

 crenate v;ith acute teeth. Racemes terminal, densely flov/ered; 

 the flowers pedicellate, in clusters of 3 or more; sepals 5, 

 suborbiculate, entire, about 1 mm. long, the margin scarious; 

 petals 5, greenish yellow, oblong, 5 to 6 mm. long. Llale 

 flov/ers; stamens 5. i'emale flowers: carpels 5, stipitate, 

 each bearing a short style, iTollicles divergent, 1 to 1.5 

 em. long, verruculose glandular on the surface, at length 

 shorter than the distinct carpophores. 



Description of the .ood 



Sapwood thick, #ery light brovm or nearly white; heart- 

 wood slightly darker tinged with light yellow wood, modera- 



