CHAPTER XLI: THE LIGNUM-VITy 



Family Zygophyllace/^ 



The Lignum-vitae is Guaiacum sanctum, Linn. ^The chief 

 reason for mentioning this tree is that its wood is one of the 

 toughest and hardest known to commerce. It is very close 

 grained, and varies from dark green to yellowish brown. It is 

 used for sheaths of ships' blocks, pulleys, cogs and other bearings 

 in machinery, and also for tenpin balls. The heart wood, chipped 

 and heated, yields a medicinal gum. 



The tree grows on the Bahamas, the Antilles and the Florida 

 Keys. It is squatty and gnarled, but beautiful in its silvery 

 bark, little, lustrous, ash-like leaves and delicate blue flowers 

 which keep on opening for weeks. The fruit is a little fleshy 

 5-celled capsule of bright orange colour. 



The West Indian Guiaciim officinale, Linn., ranks with the 

 species just described in commercial importance. No distinction 

 is made between the two woods in the trade. 



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