EUPHORBIACEJE. 



which the purple, ovate, furrowed ovary is embedded ; style short ; 

 stigmas 3, reflexed, furrowed, and plaited, white. Capsule ovate, 

 3-cornered, tricoccous. Seeds elliptical, black, shining, with a thick, 

 fleshy funiculus. Expressed juice dangerously poisonous. Fecula 

 of the root harmless when separated from the juice and exposed to heat, 

 becoming Cassava, a principal article of diet in South America. The 

 nutritious substance called Tapioca is the cassava differently prepared 

 and granulated. These preparations are obtained by crushing the roots, 

 after the bark has been removed and straining off the water, when the 

 mass is gradually dried in pans over the fire. 



ANDA. 



Flowers monoecious. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed. Petals 

 5. $ . Stamens 8 ; filaments unequal, monadelphous at base. 

 ? . Style bifid ; stigmas 2. Fruit fleshy, containing a loopholed 

 2-celled stone. 



379. Anda Gomesii A. de J. mon. euph. 39. Brazil. 



A large lactescent tree. Leaves quinate, with entire, ribbed, shining, 

 stalked leaflets ; with the petioles furnished with 2 sessile glands at the 

 division. Flowers panicled, terminal ; the males on stalks having each 

 2 bracts and 2 glands ; the females somewhat sessile. Bark used for 

 intoxicating fish. Seeds a safe and useful purgative in doses of 2 seeds; 

 they have the taste of hazel nuts. The Brazilians use them instead of 

 castor oil. The bark roasted passes as a certain remedy for diarrhoea 

 brought on by cold. According to Martius it is called Anda-acu, Inda- 

 yacu, Purga de Gentio, Cocca, or Purga dos Paulistas, Frutta d'Arara in 

 Brazil. Two or three seeds prepared as an emulsion, act as a very 

 powerful and safe purgative ; they seldom excite vomiting. It has been 

 found extremely efficacious in weakness of the lymphatic system, and 

 particularly in general dropsy. 



HEVEA. 



Flowers monoecious. Calyx 5-cleft or parted. Petals 0. 

 $ . Stamens columnar, 5-10, with the anthers below the apex. 

 5 . Stigmas 3, 2-lobed. Fruit somewhat fleshy, tricoccous. 

 A. de J. 



380. H. guianensis Aubl. ii. 871. t. 3315. Siphonia Cahuchu 

 Willd. iv. 567. Siphonia elastica Pers. syn. ii. 588. Jatropha 



elastica Linn, suppl. 422. Poa Seringa Act. Par. 1751. t. 20 



Woods of Guayana. 



A tree with a trunk 50-60 feet high, and 2-2 in diameter. 

 Leaves alternate, approximated, 3-foliolate, articulated at the top of a 

 long slender stalk, convex below, furrowed above, and swelled at its 

 base ; leaflets smooth, oval, acute, green above, cinereous beneath. 

 Fruit oblong, greenish, 3-cornered, broadest at the base, tricoccous, 

 each coccus opening with 2 valves. Seed ovate, brownish variegated 

 with black, with a thin brittle testa, and a sweet nut-like pleasant 

 kernel. Seeds are said to produce no inconvenience when eaten. 

 This plant produces the common Demerara and Surinam Caoutchouc, 

 which is imported in bottles and other forms. The cheese Caoutchouc 

 is probably furnished by some other tree or trees. 



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