274 PLANTS CULTIVATED AT CARACAS. 
Mangifera Indica, L. « Mango.'— The Asiatic origin of this tree is 
a well-known fact. 
Fragaria vesca, L. ■ Fresa.'— Cultivated in gardens, but also com- 
pletely naturalized, and so common in the higher mountains, Galipan, 
etc., that considerable quantities of the fruits are brought to town. 1 
was not fully convinced of its being introduced until in March, 1866, 
I had the opportunity of seeing in another part, Las Lajas, on the road 
from Caracas to the valleys of Aragua, 6000 feet over the sea, large 
tracts of ground overrun with strawberries, learning at the same time 
from my hospitable friend Seiior Rafael Lizarraga, the owner of the 
place, that all these strawberries were the descendants of a small num- 
ber of plants introduced there by his own father some forty years ago. 
The strawberry was introduced in Venezuela by D. Gerardo Patrullo, 
at the end of the past century. 
The name ' Fresa' (Fr. /raise) is derived from the Lat. f raff a (Virg. 
Eel. iii. p. 92, " humi nascentia fraga"). 
Amygdalus Persiea, L. (' Durazno,' from duracina, the name of a 
variety mentioned by Pliny.)— There are two other Spanish names men- 
tioned by Ortega ('Tabula Botanicae,' Matriti, 1783, p. 159), 'Abn- 
dor' (from abrir, to open, on account of the aperitive properties of the 
peach), and 'Prisco,' doubtless derived from Persiea, and proving 
sufficiently that the Slavonic names given by Alph. de Candolle (I- c - 
883) are' nothing else than corruptions of the same Gracco-Roman 
word. The Peach-tree remains in Caracas generally a shrub ; the fruits 
are small and not very tempting, and commonly used in sweetmeats. 
Pyrm Mates, L. « Mansauo,' formerly mazana (the fruit), in Portu- 
Matianum 
We 
named after some one (Etym. Wortcrb. ii. p. 148). 
apple-*ra?s, but apple-s//r«6«, with a fruit which, only when cooked wi 
sugar, becomes eatable. Pears are a mere curiosity in some gaue 
the handsome tree remains a dwarfish shrub, which seldom lives longe 
than four or five years. 
Cydonia vulgaris, L.— Cultivated frequently, as the fruits yielt an 
excellent jellv. The Spanish name < Membrillo' is derived from mekme- 
linn, literally honey-apple, because quince-jelly was formerly p V 
with honey. The tree remains small, and grows but in the higher p 
of the valley (Macarao, Petaquire). 
Pumca Granatum. L. 'Granada. —Ft is the variety nana. 
ared 
art 
