BOMBACEJE. 93 



approaching to woody, caducous : seed many, subrotund, brown : 

 wool very abundant. 



The specific designation ANFRACTUOSUM, is derived from 

 AM and FRANCO, and means the winding or bending of a road 

 or path, in and out, or backwards and forwards. 



The leaves are deciduous and fall off early in January. Soon 

 after, the flowers are produced at the end of the branchlets, 

 followed by the fruit ; after which the young leaves make their 

 appearance. 



This is a tree of a rapid growth, and is readily propagated from 

 stakes or posts planted in the ground. A superb row of these 

 trees, at Belvidere pastures, St Thomas in the East, was 

 established from posts fixed in the earth, in making a com- 

 mon rail fence. Perhaps no tree in the world has a more lofty 

 and imposing appearance, whether overtopping its humbler 

 companions in some woody district, or rising in solitary gran- 

 deur in some open plain. Even the untutored children of 

 Africa are so struck with the majesty of its appearance, that 

 they designate it the God-tree, and account it sacrilege to injure 

 it with the axe ; so that, not unfrequently, not even the fear of 

 punishment will induce them to cut it down. Even in a state 

 of decay, it is an object of their superstitious fears : they re- 

 gard it as consecrated to evil spirits, whose favour they seek 

 to conciliate by offerings placed at its base. 



The large stems of this tree are hollowed out to form canoes. 

 The wood is soft and subject to the attack of insects : but if 

 steeped in strong lime water, it will last for several years, even 

 when made into boards or shingles, and in situations exposed to 

 the influence of the weather. The young leaves are sometimes 

 dressed by the Negroes as a substitute for okras. The wool 

 has been employed in stuffing mattresses ; and is said to answer 

 the purpose equally well as feathers, but to be rather warm. 

 The caterpillar of the Macaca beetle, considered by some, when 

 gutted and fried, as a very great delicacy, is to be found in 

 abundance in the decayed stems of this tree. 



V. OCHROMA. 



Calyx at the base tubulose subiniundibulifbrm 

 scarcely 5-cleft, with 3 of the lobes rounded, and 2 

 somewhat acute. Petals 5 longer than the calyx. 

 Anthers anfractuose. Stigmata 5. Capsules valvu- 

 lar clothed within with a silky wool. Seeds oblong. 



Name, supposed to be derived from orj^oj yellow, the flowers 

 being of that colour. 



