216 FLORA OF JAMAICA Melia 



Herb. viii. 190, t. 45; Watt Econ. Prod.; M. Azederach var. 

 sempervirens Sw. Ohs. Bot. 171 (1791). Urh. Symh. Ant. iv. 325. 

 M. sempervirens Sw. Prodr. 67 (1788) & Fl. Ind. Oec. 737 ; Bot. 

 Beg. t. 643; Wriglt Mem. 269; Macf. Jayn. i. 167; Griseh. Fl. 

 Br. W. Ind. 128. Specimen in Herb. Hermann in Herb. Mus. 

 Brit, and one in Herb. Linn, named by Linnaeus. 



Hoop Tree, West Indian Lilac, Bead Tree. 



Common ; Macfadyen 1 March ! Liguania plain, Campbell ! also Harris ! 

 Fl. Jam. 6232, 7359, 7715, 8372 ; not mentioned by Sloane or Browne, and 

 therefore probably of late introduction, now subspontaneous and culti- 

 vated.— Found now throughout the tropics, a native of northern India, 

 and of Persia and China. 



Shrub or tree (to 40 ft. high in India). Leaves 2-pinnate, 2-4 dm. 1. ; 

 pinnae in 2-5 pairs, with an odd pinna, opposite ; leaflets subovate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, base somewhat unequal, margin serrate, glabrous, 

 2-7 cm. 1. Flowers showy, lilac or blue mixed with purple and white, 

 honey-scented. Sepals 1-6-2 mm. 1., puberulous. Petals 7-9 mm. 1. 

 Staminal-tube cylindrical, 10-ribbed outside, hairy within ; anthers oblong, 

 yellow. Ovary glabrous, 5-celled; stigma 5-lobed. Drupe ellipsoidal, 

 yellow, about 1-5 cm. 1., 4-5-celled. 



The leaves and dried fruit are used in India to protect clothes, books, 

 papers, &c., from the ravages of insects. The stone from the fruit is used 

 all over India as a bead, being perforated and strung into necklaces and 

 rosaries. (Watt.)] 



3. SWIETENIA L. 



Tree with dark red wood. Leaves abruptly pinnate, alter- 

 nate, glabrous ; leaflets opposite, stalked. Flowers small, on 

 corymb-like branches of axillary and subterminal panicles. 

 Calyx 5-lobed. Petals 5, convolute in bud. Stamens united 

 into an urn-shaped tube with 10 teeth ; anthers attached 

 internally between the teeth. Ovary 5-celled. Ovules about 

 12 in each cell, horizontal on the central axis. Fruit a woody 

 capsule, septicidally 5-valved from the base ; valves 2-lamellate ; 

 axis 5-angled, 5-winged at base. Seeds numerous, pendulous, 

 with a terminal oblong wing. Cotyledons closely attached 

 together and to the fleshy endosperm ; radicle papillseform, 

 opposite the chalaza. 



Species 2, one a native of the West Indies, Central America 

 and Peru, the other of the Pacific coast of Mexico. 



S. mahagoni Jacq. Enum. PI. Carih. 20 (1760) & Sel. Siirp 

 Amer. 127; L. Sp. PI. ed. 2, 548; Descourt. Fl. Ant. it. t. 99 

 Tussac Fl. Ant. iv. 65, t. 23 ; Hook. Bot. Misc. i. 21, /. 16, 17 

 Macf. Jam. i. 175 ; Griseh. Fl. Br. W. Ind. 131 ; Wright Mem 

 237; Baill. Hist. v. 478, /. 471-476; C. DC. in DC. Monog 

 Plan. i. 723 ; Sarg. Silv. i. 100, t. 43, 44. Guppy Plants &c 

 W. Indies, 242. Arbor foliis pinnatis &c. Catesby Nat. Hist 

 Carol, ii. t. 81. Cedrus mahogoni Miller Gard. Diet. ed. 8 (1768) 

 Cedi'ela foliis pinnatis &c. Browne Hist. Jam. 158. (Fig. 72.) 



