270 



ARTOCARPACEyE. 



[Diclinous Exogexs. 



Fig. CLXXXIV. 



The massive heads into which the fruits of the Breadfruit tree are collected represent 



the typical condition of the genera of this Order, whose milky juice has long since sug- 

 gested its separation from Nettleworts ; an opinion, however, in which it was difficult to 



agree, so long as the Fig and its allies were associated with it by that character. Now, 



however, that such plants have been more carefully studied, it appears that the old 



Urticaceous Order should rather be regarded 



as an Alliance, of which the Artocarpads 



form one of the Orders. In that point of view 



the Artocarpads will be distinguished from 



Hempworts and Morads by their straight 



embryo with large cotyledons, and from Anti- 



desmads by their anthers and solitary ovules. 



From Nettleworts the difference is rather 



one of habit than of real structure, as far 



as our information at present goes. Brown, 



indeed, who first proposed the Order, stated that 



the ovule was erect, which, however, is not the 



case in either Artocarpus or Madura, both 



which have a suspended ovule. Endlicher, on 2 



the other hand, relies upon the absence of albu- 

 men ; but a trace of it occurs in Artocarpus, 



and in Phytocrene it is extremely abundant, to 



say nothing of Pyrenacantha. Perhaps the 



large convolute stipules may form a further 



characteristic of Artocarpads. 



With respect to Phytocrene, which is con- 

 sidered by M. Decaisne identical with Gyno- 



cephalium,I find that it is remarkable for a very 



large quantity of granular albumen, which Blume 



says is altogether wanting in Gynocephalium ; 



I therefore retain it as a distinct genus. 



The Order is not without anomalies. Phytocrene and Pyrenacantha have copious 



albumen. In Antiaris the ovary adheres to the involucre. It is doubtful whether all 



yield milk. 



The tropics, and the tropics only, of both worlds, are the stations of these plants. 

 The most important plant of the Order is the Breadfruit, Artocarpus incisa, the most 



virulent the Upas tree, Antiaris toxiearia. Like Morads the species afford caoutchouc 



and an eatable fruit. 



The edible quality of the Breadfruit appears to 

 be owing to the presence of a large quantity of 

 starch in its succulent heads. The jack, Artocar- 

 pus integrifolia, has a similar quality, but is inferior. 

 The venom of the Antjar poison, Antiaris toxiearia, 

 is due to the presence of that most deadly substance 

 strychnia; notwithstanding the exaggerated state- 

 ments that have been made regarding this tree, the 

 Upas of the Javanese, there remains no doubt that it 

 is a plant of extreme virulence, even linen fabricated 

 from its tough fibre being so acrid as to verify the 

 story of the shirt of Nessus ; for it excites the most 

 distressing itching if insufficiently prepared. 



However, the seeds are always wholesome ; those 

 of a plant nearly allied to Cecropia, called Musanga 

 by the Africans of the Gold Coast, as well as of Arto- 

 carpus, are eatable as nuts. The famous Cow Tree, 

 or Palo de Vaca, of South America, which yields a 

 copious supply of a rich and wholesome milk, as 

 good as that of the cow, is a species of Brosimum. It has been analysed by various che- 

 mists, especially Mr. Edward Solly, who found in it as much as 30-57 per cent, of galactin. 

 — See Phil. Mag., Nov. 1837. Brosimum alicastrum abounds in a tenacious gummy 

 milk ; its leaves and young shoots are much eaten by cattle, but when they become old 

 they cease to be innocuous. The roasted nuts are used instead of bread, and have much 



Fig. CLXXXV. 



Fig. CLXXXIV. — 1. Nut of Phytocrene : 2. the same, showing the seed in its interior; 3. across sec- 

 tion of the seed, showing the cotyledons and granular albumen ; 4. the club-shaped radicle. 

 Fig. ('LXXXV. — Artocarpus integrifolia. 



