LECYTHIDE^E. I. LECYTHIS. II. ESCHWKIIBRA. III. BGRTHOLLETIA. IV. COUEOUMTA. 



874 



white, edged with rose-colour, nearly equal. Fruit 4 inches in 

 diameter. Racemes nodding. Seeds eatable, and preferable to 



>U ZZjo S Cannon-ball-tree. Tree 50 to 60 feet 



17 L.AMA'RA (Aubl. guian. 2. p. 716 t. 286. and t .285. 

 f. 1.) leaves petiolate, oblong, acuminated, quite entire, stitt, 

 racemes axillary and terminal ; pedicels rather shorter than he 

 flowers; petals acutish ; fruit ovoid, 4-celled. I?.S. v. 



f Guiana, in woods. Fruit the size and form of an egg. 

 Flowers small, yellow. Seeds bitter but eaten by monkeys. 

 Bi-seeded Cannon-ball-tree. Clt. 1 8*5- Tree 10 to 12 ft 



18 L. PARVIFLORA (Aubl. gu.an. 2. p. 717. t. 287.) leaves 

 petiolate, oblong, acuminated, quite entire ; racemes pamcled, 

 Kinal pedicels rather shorter than the flowers ; petals acu - 

 ish- fruit rather ovate, and somewhat 2-celled. *}. S. Na- 

 ive of Guiana, on the banks of rivers. Flowers small, sulphur- 

 coloured. Nucleus of seeds bitter. Fruit tender, not woody, 



^M-florvered Cannon-ball-tree. Clt. 1825. Shrub 4 to 6 ft 



19 L. OYAWFOLIA (D. C. 1. c.) leaves petiolate, oval, obtuse at 

 the base, acute at the apex, or rather acuminated, quite entire ; 

 racemes 'sub-panicled ; pedicels shorter than the Sowers; Be- 

 pals and petals very blunt. \i . S. Native of Brazil. Leaves 

 Ser membranous, lateral nerves distant Petioles 3-4 hnes 

 long. Flowers the size of those of L. Idatimon. Fruit 



known. 



Oval-leaved Cannon-ball-tree. Iree. 



f A species not sufficiently known. 



20 L. MULTIFLORA (Smith in Rees' cyd vol. 20. no. 8.) 

 leaves unknown; racemes terminal, pamcled; petals obtuse; 

 calvdne lobes tomentose. 4.8. Native of Guiana. Flowers 



apparently yellow. 



Manv-flomered Cannon-ball-tree. Iree. 



Cult A\\ the species of Lecythis require a strong heat 

 A mixture of loam and sand is the best soil for them. Ripened 

 cuS "will root if planted in sand with a hand-glass over them, 

 in a strong heat. 



II ESCHWEILE'RA (evidently named after some person 

 of the name of Eschweiler). Mart. mss. ex D. C. prc 



P ' LIN' SYST. Monadelphia, Polyandria, All as in Lecylhis, 

 but differs in the limb of the calyx being bent back upon the 

 Se and more or less adnate to it. Perhaps only a section of 



FIG. 128. 



rARViriA (Mart. mss. ex D. C. 1. c.) leaves ovate, 



Zis very short P The fruit agrees with that of Lecytlns 

 corrlata, but is much more turbinate at the base and the 

 limb of the calyx is 6-lobed and folded back upon the tube. 

 Small-floored Eschweilera Tree 40 feet. 



(Mart. herb, ex D. C. 1. c.) 



equin. 1. p. 122. t. 36. Poit. mem. mus. 13. p. 148. t. 4. 

 D. C. prod. 3. p. 293. 



LIN. SYST. Monadelphia, Polyandria. Limb of calyx b< 

 partite, deciduous. Corolla and stamens as in Lecylhis. Style 

 curved, bent to the side opposite the bundle of stamens. 

 Stigma capitate. Ovarium 4-5-celled ; cells 4-seeded. Seeds 

 placed by pairs. Capsule large, roundish, valveless, woody, 

 fleshy inside, opening by a lid. Seeds 16-20, fixed to the 

 base of the central column, erect, triangular, convex on the 

 outside, bony, wrinkled. Embryo fleshy, undivided in conse- 

 quence of the cotyledons being conferrummated. A tall tree, 

 having the young branches leafy at the apex. Leaves alternate, 

 oblong, quite entire, rather coriaceous. Flowers cream-co 

 loured. Stamens white. 



1 B. EXCE'LSA (Humb. et 

 Bonpl. 1. c.) ^ . S. Native of 

 South America, spontaneous in 

 woods on the banks of the Ori- 

 noco, and now cultivated in Bra- 

 zil, Guiana, &c. H. B. etKunth, 

 nov. gen. amer. 7. p. 260. Rich, 

 anal. fr. p. 74. and Tonka. Rich, 

 ibid. p. 84. The triangular seeds 

 known by the name of Brazil- 

 nuts in our shops are the produce 

 of this tree. The tree is said to 

 be originally from the province of 

 Para in Brazil, and is said also to 

 form forests on the borders of the 

 Orinoco. The almonds or nuts 

 have been known to the Portu- 

 guese for a very long time, and are now known in all parts 

 Europe ; in France under the name of Chasta.gnes du Bresil ; in 

 Spain under that of Almendron ; in Portugal under Castanas de 

 Maranon ; in England under the name of Para-nuts or Brazil 

 nuts The natives of the country call them Juvia, the Brazilians 

 Capucaya. The Portuguese at Para carry them to Cayenn. 

 Maranham, and sell them under the name of Tuka. 1 he cap- 

 sule or fruit is as large as a large cannon-ball, containing many 

 triangular nuts, laid over each other in a regular manner, 

 oil is prepared from them, as well as from the seeds of several 

 species of Lecythis, which is in great request in Brazil. 

 Tall Bertholletiaor Brazil-nut. Tree 100 to ISO feet. 

 Cult. For culture and propagation see Lecylhis. 



IV COUROUPFTA (Couroupitoutoumou is the Caribbean 

 name'of the tree). Aubl. guian. 2 p. 708 Poit mem. mus 13. 

 p 1.02 D. C. prod. 3. p. 293.-Pontopiddana, Scop blsho 

 L,Rich. but not of Willd.-Lecythis species, W.lld.-Pekea 



's, but they are less reticulated. Fruit globose, with a very 



blunt lid. 



Great-flowered Eschweilera. Iree. 



Cult. For culture and propagation see Lecyth 



III BERTHOLLETIA (in honour of Louis Claude Ber- 

 thollet, the celebrated French chemist). Humb. et Bonpl. pi. 



ono, Po/j,&W. Caly* and corolla 

 of Lecythis. Staminiferous ligula furnished with j nthe, bo* 



t the base and apex. Ovarium turbinate, 6-celled 

 d ssepiments reflexed towards the axis and stretched even o d ^ 

 olumn; funicles concrete among themselves, and 

 Srine many ovula. Style wanting. Stigma stellately hex- 

 a'onaT Capsule crustaceous, globose, girded by the calycme 

 cfrcle valveless, pulpy inside. Operculum not separable. The 

 pulp before the fruit is ripe is fleshy, but after deliquescence it 

 Shes, and at length the endocarp is separable from the epi- 

 carp Seeds imbedded in the pulp, numerous, ovate, covered 

 ; coriaceous villous membrane. Embryo roundish, com- 

 pressed, beaked. Cotyledons large, foliaceous, nerved, phcate, 

 ated, curved under the club-formed radicle.-Trees. 

 Leavers pet olate, oblong-cuneated, rather crenulated. Stipulas 

 small caducous! Racemes simple, rising from the trunk and 

 8 



