170 Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 



42. The Macpalxocbitl, figured by Clavigero, after 

 Hernandez, is one of the most singular trees hitherto 

 discovered. The flower is said to be " like a tulip, 

 but its pistillum represents the form of a bird's foot, 

 or rather that of an ape, with its six fingers termi- 

 nated with as many nails." The common Spanish 

 inhabitants of Mexico " call the tree which bears 

 these curious flowers Arbol dc Manilas." History of 

 Mexico. Vol. I. p. 19. 



This tree, the existence of which might have been 

 doubted, if our only authorities were Hernandez and 

 Clavigero, has lately been seen by Mr. Humboldt. 

 It belongs to the class of Monadelphia, and has been 

 fully described by a Spanish botanist, in Mexico. It 

 is a stately tree, and only a single individual of it is 

 known to exist, within the limits of the Mexican em- 

 pire. This grows in the ancient gardens of the kings 

 of Mexico, and has, doubtless, been introduced from 

 some distant region : perhaps, from some of the 

 more northern countries (now ceded to the United- 

 States), through which the Mexicans passed in their 

 progress to the vale in which they founded their city 

 and empire. I shall not, therefore, be surprised to 

 hear, that the arbol de mannas has been found in the 

 western parts of the United-States, in the newly- 

 acquired Louisiana, a country which will, in all pro- 

 bability, supply us with the Thea, the Laurus Cam- 

 phora, and many other vegetables equally, and even 

 much more, valuable and precious. 



Editor. 



