386 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Ill the "West Indies the fruits of Sapindus Saponaria^ (fig. 353) are 

 especially used for washing; in Guiana, those of S. ahorescens^ (fig. 

 351, 352) and frutescens;^ S. rigida* in Bourbon and Mauritius; 

 ^S*. scnegalcnsis '^ in tropical western Africa ; and *S'. divaricatus ^ in 

 Brazil. The pericarp of the latter is thin, translucid, filled with a 

 viscid juice. Its seeds, globular, black, and smooth, are used, like 

 those of many species of the genus, to make necklaces. Few species 

 have an edible pericarp, because there is often a smell and taste of tur- 

 pentine. Those of >S'. cmarginatus ^ are eaten, it is said, in Georgia 

 and Carolina, and the negroes of the Senegal seek that of S. senegal- 

 cnsis which has a vinous and sugary flavour. The fruits of S. escu- 

 lentus ^ in Brazil and those of B. fruticosiis in Malabar are also 

 edible. The bark and root of several species,^ especially of 8. 

 Saponaria are, notwithstanding their acerbity, used as astringent and 

 tonic-bitter remedies. The tincture of the fruit has been recom- 

 mended for chlorosis, and the pulverised seeds are used for poison- 

 ing rivers. The Euphorias have quite a different kind of utility 

 in the tropical countries of the old world. The best known and 

 most frequently cultivated is E. Longdnu ^° (fig. 354, 355), whose 

 seed is surrounded by a sapid, yellowish fleshy aril, sweetish and 

 acidulated, sought for as an aliment, refreshing, and di'ied like plums 

 to keep them during the bad season. It has unfortunately a vinous 

 taste and is smaller and not so good as that of Ncjjhdium Lltchi '^ 

 (fig. 356-358), which is red, pulpy, acidulate and sweetish, with an 



1 L. Spec. 526.— DO. P,„(lr.\. 607.— Commel. 

 Hoit. i. 94. — Gum. op. cit. iii. 691 — Rosenth. 

 op. Cit. 779. The Panama Wood of commerce, 

 used for cleaning stuffs and sold in large pieces 

 in Paris, is probably the bark of tliis species and 

 of some others, it is often too voluminous to 

 belong to Quillaja iSapoiiaiia, of the family 

 of linsaccw (ace Jlist. of PI. i. 453). It makes 

 water very soapy, and when smelt, especially 

 after having been recently broken, causes ener- 

 getic sneezing ; which seems to be, in this 

 inodorous baric, produced by tlie mechanical 

 action on the mucous membrane of the needle- 

 iike crystals with which it is crammed. 



- AuiiL. Ouiaii. i. 357, t. 139. 



■* AuiiL. op. cit. 355, t. 138. 



■* PoiK. Bid. vi. 663, n. 2. 



» PoiK. Diet. vi. 666, n. 12.— Deless. Ic. Sel. 

 iii. 22, t. 38.- GuiLLEM. ct Peiir. Fl. Seiieg. 

 Tent. i. 117 (Cahouart (Adans.), Kitiet; Kelli-r 

 of the negroes) . 



^ See GuiE. op. cit. 591 {Pan iJe snlmii). 



' Vahl, Symb. iii. 54. 



' Camdess. a. S. II. Fl. Jlias. Mir. i. 391 

 {Pilfumbeni). 



'J There are mentioned as having the general 

 properties of the genus the S. iiicBqnnUs DC. 

 riy'ulnx Ait. ahrtiptus LouK. maduriensis Peru. 

 laiirifolius Vahl (Rosenth. op. cit. 779), often 

 described as the <S'. Sapoiiaria, <mder the names 

 of Suap Wood, Ramon Wood, Soap-ball Tree, 

 The fruits are still called Soap Apples. Tlie 

 viscid juice has been used in cases of uterine 

 htfmoiThage. 



'» Lamk. Diet. iii. 574.— BucH. Coll. I. 99.— 

 DC. Prodr. i. 611.-Tl'EP. in Diet. Se. Nat. Atl. 

 t. 172. — Dimocarpiis Longan Lovr. Fl. Cochiiich. 

 233 {Loitgane, GUil-de-dragou, Boa, Pvboa). 



" Litchi chineiisis SoNN. Voy. t. 129. — Eti 

 p/ioria pniiicea Lamk. Diet. iii. 573 ; III. t. 306.J 

 — Tuni'. loc. cit. t. 173.— J?. Litchi Desi'. Cat. 

 159. DC. Prodr. i. 611, n. \.—Scytalia cH'r 



