112 PHARMACOPEIA!, DRUGS 



inosoe, and differs from the ordinary type of the order, 

 as we usually know it, in having more regular flowers 

 (papilionaceous), resembling in this respect our honey- 

 locust (Gleditschia triacanthos) , and coffee-nut (Gym- 

 nodadus dioica) tree. 



The various species of copaifera growing in tropical 

 America are usually small trees (sometimes shrubs). 



Fliickiger traced the record of what is probably the 

 first printed statement regarding a resiniferous tree 

 other than the pine, dating back to the last decade of 

 the fifteenth century. He quotes from Michael Herr, 

 "Die Neue Welt der Landschaften und Insulen," 

 Strassburg, 1534, which contains a report made by 

 Petrus Martys of Anghiera to Pope Leo X, wherein 

 this tree is mentioned under the name copei. 



The next available record dates from a publication 

 of the year 1625, wherein a Portuguese monk, probably 

 Manoel Tristaon (65 la), of the convent of Bahia, con- 

 tributes an extensive chapter on Brazil and its products. 

 On page 1308, immediately following the description 

 of Cabueriba (or Peru balsam tree), he says: "Cupayba. 

 For wounds. Cupyaba is a fig tree, commonly very 

 high, straite and big; it hath much oile, within; for to 

 get it they cut the tree in the middest, where it hath 

 the vent, and there it hath this oil in so great abundance 

 that some of them doe yield a quarterne of oile and 

 more; it is very clear of the color of oile; it is much set 

 by for wounds, and taketh away all the skarre. It 

 serveth also for lights and burne well; the beasts know- 

 ing the vertue thereof doe come and rubbe themselves 

 thereat. There are great store, the wood is good for 

 nothing." 



The first explicit description and illustration of one 



