BOMBACE^;. 91 



very sparing diet, and a weak decoction of tamarinds is given 

 as a drink. Should the symptoms continue, then after some 

 rhubarb as a laxative, the red and friable spongy part of the fruit 

 is first given ; and should that fail, then the rind is made into 

 a paste with water, and frequent doses are taken in the course 

 of the day. Dr Frank states, that he tried this practice in 

 several instances ; and in all of them the disease yielded as if 

 by enchantment.* The Lemnos earth, first noticed by Prosper 

 Alpinus as an article of the Materia Medica, formerly im- 

 ported from Ethiopia into Europe, was the dried pulp of this 

 fruit. The analysis of Vauquelin gives as its composition, 

 starch ; a gum ; an acid analogous to Malic, but not chrystal- 

 lizable ; a sugar resembling that of grapes ; and a woody par- 

 enchyma. (Annales du Museum, VI11. 1.) 



III. BOMBAX. 



Calyx naked quinquefid or truncated. Petals o, 

 slightly connected together at the base, and with the 

 column of the stamens. Stamens many, monadel- 

 phous, or pentadelphous at the apex. Capsule large, 

 5-celled, 5-valved, woody, with the cells many-seeded. 

 Seeds thickly wrapped in wool, album inose. DC 

 Cand. 



Name, from /3o,a/3u|, one of the Greek names of cotton. 



1. Bombax Ceiba. South American Cotton-tree. 



Stem prickly, leaves palmate 5-foliate, fruit turbin- 

 ate concave at the apex. 



B. quinatum, Jacq. Amer. 192. t. 176. f. 70 B. Ceiba, Cav. 

 diss. V. 296. t. 152. f. 2. 



HAB. ? ' 



FL. 



This has long been, I consider incorrectly, regarded as a na- 

 tive of Jamaica. I have not met with it in any of the districts I 

 have visited ; and I have no doubt but that its locality is con- 

 fined to the neighbouring Continent. 



IV. ERIODENDRON. 



Calyx naked, obtusely ,5-lobed. Petals 5, con- 

 nected with each other, and with the column of the 

 stamens. Stamens united at the base into a short 



* Dictiomiciire de Maticre Mcdicalo, i. 73. 



