384 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



It is interesting to note that a closely allied tree, Rhus vernicifera, 

 yields the celebrated Japanese lacquer., a kind of varnish prepared 

 from the very poisonous milk juice, or latex, which exudes from 

 incisions made for the purpose- Violent poisoning from this latex 

 is common among the workmen engaged in manufacturing the lac- 

 quer, which is one of the most indestructible varnishes known in the 

 arts. Stories are told of jewelers or cabinetmakers who, engaged in 

 repairing very old pieces of lacquer ware, have been severely poisoned 

 by the dust. 



Among the smaller trees and forest shrubs of Paradise Key are 

 several belonging to the Myrtle family, including the white stopper, 

 naked stopper, spicewood, and the myrtle-of-the-river, the latter 

 (CalyptrantJies zuzygium) with opposite glossy leaves and clusters 

 of fruit resembling blueberries. In addition to these are the paradise 

 tree, or bitterwood ; soapberry tree ; Krugiodeiidron ferreimi, or West 

 Indian ironwood; marlberry; and a holly (Ilex cassine) with red 

 berries but with leaves devoid of prickles, sometimes confused with 

 the more northern species from which the Indians of Florida made 

 their "black drink," but quite distinct from it. Specimens of all 

 these together with other interesting shrubs and small trees from 

 this locality have been deposited in the United States National Her- 

 barium. 1 



CLIMBING PLANTS. 



Many of the climbing plants are interesting from their manner of 

 clinging to the trees which support them. Uippocratea volubilis, 

 which, on account of its conspicuous swollen nodes, may be called 

 the " jointed liana," takes root wherever it touches the ground, form- 

 ing loops which trip up the unwary traveler, or perhaps catch him 

 under the chin as he passes through the jungle. Its opposite, arm- 

 like branchlets, which terminate in tendrils, clasp the tree trunks as 

 the plant makes its way upward to the light. When it has estab- 

 lished itself and spread over the branches, the arms, no longer of 

 use, break off at the shoulders and leave the vine hanging like a 

 great rope usually at some distance from the trunk, causing the 

 observer to wonder by what means it had reached its point of sup- 

 port (see frontispiece). This plant covers the crown of a tree so 

 thickly that its host is sometimes crushed under its weight. Accord- 

 ing to the park warden, more trees are overwhelmed and brought to 

 earth by this incubus than by storms or destructive parasites. 



Among the other climbers are several wild grapes and plants 

 closely related to them, one of the most interesting of which, Cissus 



1 For botanical descriptions of these plants the reader is referred to Dr. J. K. Small's 

 Flora of Miami, in which most of them will be found. 



