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nel more or less hard^ arcording- to the species. 

 The flo\yers are \vhite or of a rose colour, with 

 six j^etais shorter than the caljx. The first spe- 

 cies (peumus rubra) has alternate leavesj oval^ 

 petiolated, entire and large, like those of the 

 hornbeam, and hears a r* d fruit ; the second 

 (peumus alba) has denticulated leaves ai;d a 

 white fruit; the third (peumus manm-osa) las 

 sessile leaves in shape of a heart, aiid the fruit is 

 terminated by a kind of nipple ; the fourth 

 (pe.inius bold us) bears o\al leaves, placed op- 

 posite in pairs, about four inches in length, 

 v\'0()lly beneath, and of a dark green. The fruit 

 of this last species is smaller than that of the 

 others and almost round;, and the kernel so hard 

 that the inhabitants make their rosaries of it. 

 They also give to the fruit the name of boldo, 

 and use the 'vhells to perfume the vessels in which 

 they put their wine. The fruits of the three 

 f rst kinds are eaten ; to prepare them for that 

 purposs^ iht'j are merely dipped in warm v aicij 

 as a greater degree of lieat would burn and 

 render them bitter. The interior pulp is N^hitCj 

 butlery, snd of an agreeable taste, and the 

 kernel contaiiis much oil, whicii might be used 

 both for lamps and for eating. The bark serves 

 for tanning leather, and is also used in dying. 



TliC lucurna ( lucunia, gen. nov. ) comprehends 

 five difTiuent species and manv varieties, all of 

 tiiem large trccs^ with stiff leaves resembling the 

 3 



