400 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 



" Prodromus," viz. Physocladu, is characterised by 

 " rami sub foliis congesto-verticillatis inllati cavi," the 

 hollow inflation being tenanted by ants, whence C. 

 nodosa, the type-species of the group, is known to the 

 South Americans as "Ant tree" (Pao cle formiga). 

 C. formicarum, Hoffmans, and C. callococca, Aubl., 

 are supposed to be synonyms of C. nodosa. 







Cordia gerascantha, Jacq., differs from the Physo- 

 cladiL' in the structure ot its rather showy white 

 flowers. It rises to a stoutish tree of 30 to 40 feet, 

 and is throughout fasciculately branched (branches 

 3-5-nate). At the point where the branches divide 

 there is mostly a sac, inhabited by very vicious ants 

 of the tribe called " Tachi " by the Brazilians. The 



j 



preceding species are usually tenanted by the small 

 fire-ant, but sometimes by the Tachi. Probably 

 the former was in all cases the original occupant, 

 and the Tachi is an intruder. 



All these sacciferous Cordiaj have fascicled or 

 \vhorled branches, and are beset (not often densely) 

 with long coarse hairs arising from tubercles, much 

 as in the Amaiona and the Melastomacea: above 

 described ; but of the numerous other Cordia' I 

 have gathered, with vague ramification and oltrn 

 short soft pubescence, not one was seen with 

 saccate branches, or any other structure serving as 

 a permanent residence to ants. 



Some of the aromatic shrubby Crotons, with 

 trichotomous branches, have occasionally the branch- 

 axils perforated by ants and swollen ; but the 

 process does not seem to have been carried on IOML; 

 enough to make the character permanent in any 

 species I have met with. 



