2G4 BRAZIL WOOD. 



the Nuphar advena and the Nymphcea odorata. In the same locali- 

 ties vegetates a weak variety of our European Sagittaria, and the 

 Pistia spattilata spreads itself upon the water, like our English 

 Duckweed, both being members of the family Pistacece. 



As far as New Braunfels, the Prairies are occasionally relieved by 

 clumps of fine old trees ; but below that point the traveller only 

 encounters, and that at rare intervals, a few scarce coppices and 

 scanty thickets. Growing more common at San Antonio de Bejar, 

 they abound in the region of Castroville, and spread over nearly the 

 entire country to the very borders of Mexico. 



These bushes or coppices mainly consist of the Prosapis glandu- 

 losa, the Guaiacum angustifolium, the Xanthoxylum inerme and a 

 few Acacias. 



The Guaiacum* is noticeable for its hard and heavy wood, gene- 

 rally known as Lignum Vitce, sometimes as Gruaiacum ivood, and 

 occasionally as Brazil ivood. It also yields a peculiar resinous pro- 

 duct, which is medicinally employed, in powder, pill, and tincture, for 

 the relief of chronic rheumatism and chronic skin diseases. It is of 

 a greenish-brown colour, and though it has scarcely any taste, leaves 

 a hot arid sensation in the mouth. 



The Xmitoxyton type, of the order Xanthoxylacese, derives its 

 name from the yellowness of its timber. Its fruits have a pungent 

 aromatic taste, like pepper. The popular name of "toothache tree" 

 is applied to some of the American species, from the relief their bark 

 and fruits are supposed to give in cases of that distressing affliction. 



In the neighbourhood of Castroville, Trecul found, profusely 

 scattered among the thickets, a species of Ephedra, closely resembling 

 the Ephedra altissima, whose feeble reed-like branches were literally 

 covered with small red fruits, producing a novel and attractive effect. 

 As a plant curious from its mode of vegetation, and which is spread 

 in Texas as well as in Louisiana, I may mention the Tillandria usne- 

 oides, so named after Professor Tillands, of Abo. This is a genus of 

 Bromeliacece, growing on the boughs of trees, and notably on those of 



* Order, Zygophyllaceaz. 



