MALVACE2E. 117 



much esteemed in tropical Asia. 1 In Colombia the more or less 

 fibrous pericarp of Sapote and of Cadano is eaten, the former 

 is Quararibea cor data, 2 the latter Q. Castano. 3 We are assured 

 that in India the fruit of Heritiera littoralis is also harvested as 

 edible, as is also in tropical Africa the pericarp of several Sler- 

 culias. In S. cordifolia* of Senegal, the edible part is considered 

 to be the aril of the seed. In the common Boabab 5 (figs. 169, 

 170), it is the pulp enveloping the seeds, acid and refreshing 

 at first, and finally dried and farinaceous, that is edible ; it was 

 formerly imported into Europe, under the name of terre de 

 Lemnos. It was at that time in Greece and Egypt, as it is in 

 our day among the negro tribes of Africa, a reputed remedy, under 

 the name of do/a, for diarrhoea, dysentery, hseinoptysis, putrid fevers, 

 &c. The exterior part of the fruit, 6 a sort of woody bark of variable 

 form, is used like the Bottle-gourds (Fr., Calebasses) as vases or cis- 

 terns. Reduced to ashes they furnish an alkaline lye, which serves 

 to saponify the rancid palm oil. The roasted seeds are used in 

 Nubia in the preparation of a decoction as a remedy for dysentery. 

 Those of several Stercidias have similar properties in their embryo, 

 while they are also rich in tannin ; consequently they are rarely 

 edible. The kernels of S. cartliagenensis 1 (fig. 78) are alwaj^s eaten 

 in the province of Groyaz ; those of S. fcetida 3 in Eastern India ; 



1 The Civet-cat feeds on it, whence its specific Diss., v. 298, t. 15. — Lamk., III., t. 588.-^ 

 name. This fruit passes as aphrodisiacal having, M£e. & Del., Diet. Mat. Med., i. 72. — Gujb., 

 at the same time, the flavour of several fruits Drog. Simpl., ed. 6, iii. 643. — Lindl., Fl. Med., 

 and vegetables and of cream. It has also 139.— Bosenth., op. cit., 716. — H . Bn., in Diet. 

 the odour of the cucumber and of garlic. It JSncycl. So. Med., i. 691. — ? Ophelus sahitarius 

 appears at first foetid and repulsive, but those Lotje., Fl. Cochinch., 501. 



who accustom themselves to it by degrees find it 6 Vulg. Pain de singe {monkey bread). 



delicious afterwards. 7 Cav., Diss., vi. 353. — B. Be., in Ilorsf. PI. 



2 H. Bn., in Adansonia, x. 147. — Matisia Jav. Par., 22S. — Te. & Pl., in Ann. So. Nat., 

 cordata H. B., PI. A^quin., i. 10, t. 2, 3. — ser. 4, xvii. 329. — S. Relicteres Pees., Syn., ii. 

 H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec., v. 307.— DC, 240.— 8. Chicha A. S. H., PI. Us. Bras., t. 46 ; 

 Prodr., i. 477 (Chupa-chupa of New Granada). Fl. Bras. Mer., i. 278. — Helicteres apetala 



3 H. Bn., loc. cit., 146. — 3Iatisia Castano Jacq., Amer., 238, t. 181, fig. 97 (vulg. Chicha, 

 Te. & Kabst., N. PI. Fl. N.- Granad. , 24; in Panama, Camajonduro). The term apetala, 

 Linncea (1857), 86. — Te. & Pl., in Ann. Sc. adopted by Kaesten, and which ought to have 

 Nat., ser. 4, xvii. 326 (vulg. Castano). been employed rigorously (according to the ancient 



4 Guillem. & Peee., Fl. Seneg. Tent., i. 79, custom), is not always admissible, all the Ster- 

 t. 15 (an Cav. ?). — Mast., in Oliv. Fl. Prop. culias being apetalous. The seeds are rich in 

 Afr., i. 217, n. 4. In Adansonia, x. 173, this oil, as are also those of S. lasiantha Maet. 

 plant is connected with the genus Cola on s L., Spec, 1431. — DC, Prodr., i. 483, n. 

 account of the arrangement of the anthers. 27. — Clompanus major BrMPH., Serb. Am- 



5 Adansonia digitata L., Spec, 960.— Cay., loin., iii. t. 107. 



