12 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



2.12; Relative Approximate Fuel Value, 0.6282; Coefficient of Elas- 

 ticity, 46064; Modulus of Rupture, 553; Resistance to Longitudinal 

 Pressure, 481 ; Resistance to Indentation, 171 ; Weight of a Cubic Foot 

 in Pounds, 40.00. 



USES. The wood is used in boat-building, for which it is highly 

 valued, and its excellent properties and ornamental nature would 

 suggest its usefulness for interior finishing, furniture, etc., but is not 

 found in sufficient abundance to be extensively used. 



GENUS ICHTHYOMETHIA BROWNE. 



Leaves pinnately compound, 4-9 in. long, early deciduous, with 5-11 long 

 petiolulate oblong to obovate leathery leaflets, which are 2-4 in. long, abruptly 

 acuminate, rounded at base, entire, glabrous dark green above, paler and with 

 rufous hairs on veins beneath and on petioles. Flowers, opening in May, 

 papilionaceous, in thyrsoidal panicles, on branchlets of the previous season, calyx 

 bell-shaped, persistent, canescent, with 5 short lobes impricated in the bud; 

 petals pinkish white, clawed, the standard suborbicular, notched, grayish hairy 

 outside and green blotch inside, wings oblong-spatulate ; keel petals broadly 

 falcate with claws connected; stamens 10, with filaments united, excepting the 

 oase of the upper one which is free at base only ; anthers versatile all alike ; pistil 

 free, sessile, with silky pubescent ovary which narrows into a filiform style bent 

 inward and capitate stigma ; ovules numerous suspended in two ranks. Fruit 

 ripening in July and August, an indehiscent linear legume, 3-4 in. long, with stalk 

 longer than the calyx -tube and 4 membranaceous wings about ^2 in. broad 

 running longitudinally ; seeds brownish, compressed, oblong, without albumen, 

 attached laterally by short funicles. 



The name is a combination of two Greek words meaning fish 

 intoxication, alluding to the use made of its bark by the Caribs. 



307. ICHTHYOMETHIA PISCIPULA HITCH. 



JAMAICA DOGWOOD. 

 Ger., Jamaikischer Hundshoh. Fr., Boisivrant de la Jamaique. 



Sp., Borracho (Venezuela), Guama hediondo (Cuba). 

 SPECIFIC CHARACTERS : See generic description, this being the only species. 



A tree attaining the height of 40 or 50 ft. (i5m.) with commonly 

 more or less crooked upright and spreading branches, and trunk attain- 

 ing a thickness of 2 or 3 ft (0.90111.) The bark of trunk is of an ashen 

 gray color, y% in. or somewhat more in thickness and quite smooth, but 

 finally exfoliating in irregularly rectangular plate-like scales. It is a 



