88 



AMYRIDEyE. I. AMYRIS. 



crowned by an obtuse stigma. Drupe (f. 19. 6.) containing a 1- 

 sccclcd chartaceous nut (f. 1 9. c.*), some of the cells full of diapha- 

 nous mucilage. Trees or shrubs, abounding in a resinous fluid. 

 Leaves compound ; leaflets full of pellucid dots. Flowers white, 

 disposed in panicles. Drupe turgid, with an aromatic oil. 



1. AmericancB. Leaves with 1-3 pairs of opposite leaflets, 

 odd one stalked or sessile. 



1 A. MARI'TIMA (Jacq. amer. 107.) leaflets 3, sessile, odd one 

 stalked, ovate, crenate, obtuse. 1?. S. Native of Jamaica and 

 of Cuba, about the Havanna, on rocks by the sea-side. The 

 shrub abounds in a juice which smells like rue. 



Sea-side Amyris. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1810. Shrub 8 feet. 



2 A. FLORIDA'NA (Nutt. in Sillim. journ. 5. 1822. p. 294.) 

 leaflets 3, ovate, quite entire, obtuse, smooth ; flowers somewhat 

 panicled ; berries almost globose, tapering to the base. Tj . G. 

 Native of Eastern Florida. Leaves reticulately-veined, glan- 

 dular, resinous, and fragrant. Berries black, the size of black 

 pepper. 



Florida Amyris. Shrub 10 feet. 



3 A. SYLVA'TICA (Jacq. amer. 107.) leaflets 3, ovate, acumi- 

 nated, somewhat crenate, all stalked, odd one longest. Jj . S. 

 Native of Carthagena, St. Domingo, and St. Thomas, in shady 

 woods by the sea-side. A. cymosa, Reich, in Sieb. pi. exsic. fl. 

 trinid. no. 29. is probably distinct from this. The whole shrub 

 abounds in a turpentine juice, of a strong disagreeable smell. 

 Gum elemi has erroneously been supposed to be yielded by this 

 plant. Berry red, about the size of a pea. 



Hood Amyris. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1793. Tree 15 feet. 



4 A. BRASIUE'NSIS (Spreng. syst. 2. p. 217.) leaflets lanceo- 

 late, tapering to the base, rounded at the apex, mucronate, quite 

 entire, veiny, shining above, discoloured beneath ; petioles tri- 

 quetrous ; panicles axillary, shorter than the leaves. fj . S. 

 Native of Brazil. 



Brazilian Amyris. Clt. 1818. Tree. 



5 A. DYA'TRIPA (Spreng. neue, entd. 3. p. 48.) leaflets 3, 

 ovate, quite entire, obtuse, somewhat emarginate, all stalked, odd 

 one longest. Tj . S. Native of St. Domingo. The specific name 

 appears to be derived from dyas, two, and trij>es, having three 

 feet ; perhaps in allusion to the stalked leaflets. 



Dyatripa Amyris. Shrub 1 feet. 



6 'A. PLUMIE'RI (D. C. prod. 2. FIG. 19. 

 p. 81.) leaflets 3-5, all stalked, 



somewhat serrated, ovate, acumi- 

 nated, villous beneath. Tj . S. Na- 

 tive of the Antilles. Plum. ed. 

 Burm. t. 100. A. elemifera, Lin. 

 spec. p. 495. ? but Catesby's figure 

 is cited by the author, and there- 

 fore the country ; this is referred to 

 Ptelea. The fruit is the shape and 

 size of an olive, but red, having an 

 odoriferous pulp within it. Gum 

 elemi is said to be extracted from 

 this tree ; ( it is brought to this 

 country in roundish cakes, wrap- 

 ped up in leaves. This resin is 

 only used as an ingredient in a 

 digestive ointment, called Unguen- 

 tum elemi. 



Plumper's Amyris or Gum-elemi-tree. Clt. 1820. Tree 20 ft. 



7 A.? HEXA'NDRA(Hamilt. prod. fl. ind. occ. p. 34.) branched; 

 leaves impari-pinnate, with 3 pairs of quite entire, ovate, bluntly 

 and obliquely acuminated leaflets, which are somewhat decurrent 

 down the petiole, smooth above, and reticulately veined be- 

 neath ; flowers panicled, small, greenish, always hexandrous ; 



panicles axillary and terminal ; calyx cup-shaped, entire ; petals 

 3, greenish, entire ; ovary oblong, smooth, inferior ; style short, 

 witli an obtuse stigma ; drupe membranous, elliptic, acuminated 

 at both ends, 1-valved. T? . S. Native of the island of Nevis, 

 in cold subhumid groves A tall tree, full of resinous fragrant 

 juice, differing from A. elemifera in the leaves being smooth on 

 both surfaces, not tomentose beneath. The tree is called (/IUH 

 Elemi-tree, Gum Elem-trce in its native country. 



Jfc.fnndrous Amyris. Fl. June, Sept. Tree 40 feet. 



8 A. TOXI'FERA (Willd. spec. 2. p. 336.) leaflets 5-7, stalked, 

 ovate, somewhat cordate, acuminated ; racemes simple, about 

 the length of the petioles. Jj . G. Native of Carolina (Cat. 

 car. 1. t. 40.), as well as the West India islands. Lucinium, 

 Pluk. t. 201. f. 3. A. balsamifera, Lin. spec. 496. exclusive of 

 the synonyme of Sloane. Elemifera foliis pinnatis, Lin. hort. 

 cliff". 486. The fruit hangs in bunches, of the shape of a pear, 

 of a purple colour. A juice distils from the trunk of the tree, 

 as black as ink, which the inhabitants of Carolina say is poi-on- 

 ous. The Janca-tree is said to be a very valuable timber tree, 

 the wood bears a fine polish, and has a pleasant smell. The 

 berries have much the taste of balsam of Capaiva. An infusion 

 of the leaves has a very pleasant flavour, is highly cephalic, and 

 is particularly restorative to weak eyes. 



Poison-n'ood or White Candle- wood Amyris. Clt. 1820. Tr. 50ft. 



9 A. PINNA V TA (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 7. p. 37. 

 t. 610.) leaflets 5-7, ovate, somewhat crenate, terminal one 

 roundish-elliptical ; panicles axillary, much branched. Jj . S. 

 Native of South America, between the tropics. Branchlets and 

 petioles puberulous. Leaves membranous, smooth. Fruit un- 

 known. 



Pinnate-leaved Amyris. Tree 20 feet. 



2. Asiuticce. Leaflets alternate, all stalked. 



10 A. HEPTAPHY'LLA (Roxb. hort. beng. p. 28.) leaflets 3-4 

 pairs, simple, obliquely-lanceolate, acuminated, entire ; panicles 

 branched, axillary, and terminal. fj . S. Native of the East 

 Indies, on the mountains bordering Silhet, where it is called 

 Karum-phul. Flowers whitish-yellow. Berry oblong, 1 -celled. 

 Seed filling the berry. Disk fleshy, contracted in the middle, 

 the lower swelling receiving the petals and stamens. 



Seven-leaved Amyris. Clt. 1823. Tree. 



1 1 A. NA NA (Roxb. 1. c.) leaflets 7, ovate-lanceolate, serrated ; 

 racemes simple, axillary, nearly the length of the leaves. Pj . S. 

 Native of Amboyna. 



Dwarf Amyris. Clt. 1822. Shrub 6 feet. 



12 A. PUNCTA'TA (Roxb. hort. beng. ex Colebr. in Lin. trans. 

 15. t. 5. f. 3.) branches spreading ; bark smooth, rusty ; leaflets 

 about 20 pairs, obliquely-oblong, crenulate, full of glandular 

 dots, terminal one largest ; petioles rather hairy ; panicles ter- 

 minal. \i . S. Native of Chittagong. Flowers small, white. 

 Disk fleshy, bearing the petals and stamens. Ovary 4-celled, 

 tetragonal. Berry 1 -celled, 1 -seeded. 



Dotted-\ea\eA. Amyris. Shrub. 



-f Species not sufficiently known. 



ISA.? TECOMA'CA (D. C. prod. 2. p. 82.) leaves on long 

 petioles, hanging down, trifoliate ; leaflets oblong, acute, ser- 

 rated ; peduncles numerous, terminal, loosely panicled, de- 

 pendent. 17 . S. Native of Mexico, where it is called Teco- 

 maca and Tacamahaca, but it is distinct from the Tacamaliaca 

 of Hern. A. maritime, Moc. et Sesse, fl. mex. icon. ined. 



Tecomaca Amyris. Clt. 1827. Tree 30 feet. 



14 A.? PHILIPPE' A (Lunan, hort. jam. 1. p. 149.) petioles 

 margined ; leaflets 3, obovate, shining, obliquely veined. T? . S. 

 Native of Jamaica. 



Ph'dippean Amyris. Tree. 



15 A. DENTA'TA (Willd. spec.? Blum, bijdr. 1160.) leaflets 



