BIXACEM. 305 



internal application is said to be a cure for taenia, and other intestinal 

 worms. It is bitter without acridity, and is so rich in albuminous sub- 

 stances, that Vauquelin 1 compares it to blood deprived of its colouring 

 matter. The pulverized seeds have also vermicidal qualities ; which 

 may perhaps be explained by their containing the same milky juice 

 as the other organs. It is said that a few drops of this latex in 

 water will give it the property of rapidly making meat tender when 

 too fresh, or the animal too old ; and that the same result is 

 obtained by wrapping the meat during one night in a leaf of the 

 Papaya. Wight has remarked, that the seed, when masticated, has 

 the flavour of the nasturtium. The root has the smell of dried 

 radishes. The negroes make gutters of the stem to receive the rain 

 water, and use the leaves to soap linen. The pulp of the ripe fruit, 

 employed as a cosmetic, is said to remove sunburn. In the 

 Moluccas confections are made of the male flower. Another 

 species of the same genus, P. digitata? of northern Brazil, is consi- 

 dered a deadly poison, as terrible, it is said, as the Upas of Java. 

 Its latex burns the skin that comes in contact with it, and produces 

 blisters. The male flowers have a repulsive excremcntal odour. 

 The fruit is inodorous and insipid ; but most animals refuse to 

 touch it. 



On the contrar} T , the fruits of Papaya caulijlora, 3, dodecapl/ylla* 

 Mamaya, microcarpa? nana, 6 and pyriformis, 7 are said to be edible. 

 P. quercifolia* (figs. 337, 338), is the JacamatcMha of the Guaranis 

 Indians. The fruit of several Oncobas is also edible ; the inner 

 pulp of that of 0. spinosa* is also eaten. In Flacourtia the entire 

 berry is fleslry and edible, especially in F. sapida, 10 ttepiaria" iner- 



1 In Ann. Chim., xliii. 2/1. 7 Carica pyriformis Hook. & Arx., in Pot. 



2 Carica digitata Pospp. & Endl , Nov. Gen. Misc., iii. 325 (nee W.). — C. Gat, Fl. Ckil., ii. 

 et Spec., ii. 260. — Jacaratia spinosa, var. di- 413, t. 25. — Vasconcella chilensis Pi., in Ann. 

 gitata A. DC, Prodr., loc. cit., 419, n. 1 (vulg. 8c. Nat., ser. 4, ii. 259. 



Ckamburu). 8 Vasconcella quercifulia A. S. H., Deux, 



3 PoiK., Diet., Supp!., iv. 296.— Carica cau- Mem. Resed., 12. — A. DC, Prodr., 416, n. 5 

 liflora Jacq., Sort. Schaenbr., iii. 33, t. 311. — (vulg. Umbuzeiro a. Rio-Grande do Sul). 

 Vasconcellea cauliftora A. DC, Prodr., loc. cit., 9 Fobsk., AJgypt.-Arab., 103. — Lame., III., 

 415, n. 1. t. 471.— A. Rich., Fl. Sen. Tent., i. 32, t. 10.— 



4 Carica dodecaphylla Vell., Fl. Flum., x. Oliv., Fl. Trop. Aft:, i. 115. — O. monacantha 

 t. 132. — Jacaratia dodecaphylla A. DC, Steud. — Lundia monacantha Schum. & Thonn., 

 Prodr., 420, n. 3. BesJct:, 231. 



s PoiB., Diet., Suppl., iv. 296.— Carica mi- 10 Roxb., PL Corom., i. 49, t. 69; Fl. Ind., 



crocarpa Jacq., Hort. Schcenbr., iii. t. 309, 310. iii. 834.— DC, Prodr., i. 256, n. 2. — Wight & 



— Vasconcellea microcarpa A. DC, Prodr., Arn., Prodr., 29. — Bl., Bijdr., i. 55. — Clos, in 



418, n. 13. Arm. Sc. Nat., ser. 4, vii. n. 7. 



6 A. DC, Prodr., 415, n. 3.— Carica nana " Roxb., loc. cit., 48, t. 68. — DC, Prodr., n. 



Benth., PI. Hartioeg., 288. 4.— Clos, loc. cit., n. 6. 



VOL. IV. X 



