Schomburghiane. N. O. Strychnez. 
Tas. CCCLXIV. 
STRYCHNOS TOXIFERA, Schomb. 
(Ourari or Wourali poison of Guiana.) 
Ramis scandentibus cirrhisque pilis longis patentibus rufis dense 
obtectis, foliis sessilibus ovali-oblongis acuminatis membra- 
haceis trinerviis utrinque pilis longis rufis hirsutis, floribus 
++eee-,y fructibus maximis globosis. Benth. 
Strychnos toxifera. Schomb. in Benth. Guian. Pl.in Hook. Journ. 
Bot. v. 3, p. 240. 
Has. British Guiana; Schomburgh, (n. 155.) 
Every one, the readers of ‘ Waterton’s Wanderings” and 
those acquainted with Brande’s experiments especially, is fami- 
liar with the name of Ourali or Wourali poison, whose effects 
are so powerful on animal life. We believe that no European 
has seen the plant, either in a living or dried state, till the dis- 
tinguished traveller, to whom we are indebted for the specimens 
here figured, ascended the Rupunoony river in British Guiana. 
Being informed that the plant grew in the Conocon Mountains, 
he made a detour in order to have the gratification of seeing its 
and under the guidance of some Indians, was directed to a lig- 
neous twiner, at which they called out ‘ Ourari,” the name of 
the plant in Warpeshana. 
“The stem,” Dr Schomburgk continues, “is often more than 
three inches thick, and very crooked; its bark rough, and of . 
dark greyish colour; the branches thin, and inclined to climb; 
the leaves dark green, and opposite, ovate, acute, 5-nerved and 
veined ; young branches and leaves hirsute; hairs brown, cir- 
thiferous ; the cirrhi, however, not found on every branch. 
Fruit (see our Tan. CCCLXV.) of the size of a large apple, 
round, smooth, bluish green. Seeds imbedded in a pulp, consist 
Ing chiefly of a gummy matter, which is intensely bitter. We 
observed many heaps of the cut wood covered with palm trees, 
which, as the Indians told us, had been left by the Marroons. 
he plant grows only in two or three places, which are — oe 
bythe Indians from all directions, and of ee 
Our Tan. CCCLXIV. represents a sterile branch: Se 
flowers are yet unknown to us.) The fruit is exhibited in the — 
following plate. 
