BOTANY. 379 



calory of the Malayan, and other Asiatic nations ; its 

 taste is very astringent, and it stains the saliva red. 

 Timor^ Malayan name pena. 



MONOZCIA. POLYANDRIA. 



Caladium esculentum. (Arumesculentum,on$TER). 

 The Cocos. This aquatic vegetable is most largely cul- 

 tivated at the Sandwich Islands, where the natives sub- 

 sist almost entirely upon its nutritious esculent root. 



Society and Sandwich Isles; native name taro. 

 Marquesas, (rare,) ttfo. 



C. costatum. Mountain Cocos. This species re- 

 sembles the preceding in its general appearance, as well 

 as in the esculent qualities of its root ; but differs from 

 it in regard to its habitat, preferring a dry and elevated 

 soil. Pitcairn Island was the only spot where we ob- 

 served the species cultivated for food, although the 

 plant also obtains, in a wild state, both at the Society 

 and Marquesan Islands, where it is called ape. 



Calla (Ethiopica.St. Helena. 



MONCECIA. MONADELPHIA. 



Aleurites triloba. Candle-nut Tree. This is an 

 umbrageous tree, growing on the sea-coast, near the 

 water's edge, as well as on the more interior and fertile 

 soil ; while the profusion with which it covers the de- 

 clivities of mountains, gives a hoary and very marked 

 character to the highland scenery. The leaves are broad 

 and lobed ; their under surface and footstalks covered 

 with a brown pubescence. The floral leaves are nar- 

 row and entire. The flowers (which are of distinct 

 sexes on the same tree) are borne in erect clusters; 



