28 LEGUMINOS^. Piscidia. 



81. Piscidia Erythrina, L. 

 Jamaica Dogicood. 



Semi-tropical Florida, — Bay Biscayne and Pease Creek to the south- 

 ern keys ; in the West Indies and southern Mexico. 



A tree 12 to 15 metres in height, with a trunk 0.45 to 0.75 metre in 

 diameter. 



"Wood heavy, very hard, not strong, close-grained, compact, susceptible 

 of a high polish, containing few large scattered open ducts ; medullary 

 rays thin, not conspicuous ; color yellowish brown, the sap-wood lighter: 

 one of the most valuable woods of the region for boat-building, firewood, 

 and charcoal. 



The bark, especially of the root, narcotic, occasionally administered in 

 the form of tinctures, or used, as well as the young branches and leave.-.. 

 to poison or stupefy fish. 



82. Cladrastis tinctoria, Raf. 



Yellow-wood. Yellow Ash. Gopher-wood. 



Central Kentucky, and middle Tennessee to the mountains of East 

 Tennessee and Cherokee County, North Carolina. 



A tree 9 to 15 metres in height, with a trunk sometimes 0.90 metre, 

 or exceptionally 1.20 metres, in diameter; rich hillsides; reaching its 

 greatest development in middle Tennessee; rare and very local, the large 

 trees generally hollow or defective. 



Wood heavy, very hard, strong, close-grained, compact, susceptible of 

 a good polish; layers of annual growth clearly marked by several rows 

 of open ducts, and containing many evenly distributed similar dints; 

 color bright clear yellow, changing with exposure to light brown, the 

 sap-wood nearly white; used for fuel, occasionally for gunstocks, and 

 yielding a clear yellow dye. 



83. Sophora secundiflora, Lagasca. 

 Frigolito. 



Matagorda Bay, Texas, west to the mountains of New Mexico. 



A small tree, sometimes 9 metres in height, with a trunk 0.1.") to 0.20 

 metre in diameter, or often, especially west of the San Antonio River, a 

 tall shrub rarely exceeding 2 metres in height, and forming dense thickets: 

 borders of streams, generally in low, rather moist soil. 



Wood very heavy, hard, close-grained, compact, susceptible of a high 

 polish; medullary rays numerous, thin; color orange streaked with red. 

 the heavier sap-wood brown or yellow; furnishing valuable fuel. 



The seeds contain an exceedingly poisonous alkaloid, Sojjhoria. 



84. Sophora affinis, Torr. & Gray. 



Valley of the Arkansas River, Arkansas to the valley of the San 

 Antonio River, Texas. 



