256 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Ostrya i is more rarely cultivated for the same purpose, and its bark 

 and wood are also useful; likewise G. virginiana,^ utilized by 

 American industry. The Wax trees derive their name from the 

 peculiarity presented by their pericarp, of developing within its 

 fleshy substance, and on its surface, a substance resembling the wax 

 of the bee. Myrica cerifera ^ is the best known in this respect ; 

 but the same property exists also in M. pensylvanica * and caro- 

 Unensis,^ in M. cordifolia,^ quercifolia,'^ species from the Cape, and 

 M. cethiopica,^ of Abyssinia. The fruit of these plants is generally 

 subjected to boiling water, when the wax, liquefied by the heat, rises 

 to the surface. The Myricas all have an astringent bark, especially 

 M. sapida^ in India, and our M. Gale ^° (fig. 217 — 223), a marshy 

 species, with odorous leaves, ^^ substituted for the hop in Sweden, and 

 for tobacco in Norway. It yields a yellow dye. The fruit of M. 

 sapida and of M. esculent a *^ is eaten in India and in the western 

 isles of Africa. Many Wax trees are cultivated among us, as are 

 also a great many species belonging to other genera of the family — 

 Oaks, Beeches, Birches, Alders, Hornbeams, and Hazels — particularly 

 those forms and varieties with fastigiate or recumbent stems, pendent 

 branches, laciniate or coloured leaves, brown or purple. 



1 See p. 229, note 1. 



2 See p. 229, note 2. 



3 L. Spec. 1453.— MicHX. Fl. Bor.-Amer. ii. 

 227. — BiGEL. Med. Bot. i. 43.— Mer. et Del. 

 Diet. Mat. Med. iv. 531.— C. DC. Prodr. xvi. 

 sect. ii. 148, n. 5. 



"* Lamk. — DuHAM. Arbr. ed. 2, ii. 190, t. 6o 

 (var. (?) of preceding species). 



5 W. Spec. iv. 746 (var. scarcely distinct from 

 preceding species). 



fi L. Spec. 1453.— DuHAM. Arbr. ii. 193.— 

 C. DC- Prodr. n. 2 Buisson de cire). The Hot- 

 tentots are said to eat this wax as a sort of 

 bread. 



7 Var. (?) of M. cordifolia. It gives a green 

 candle wax. 



8 L. Mantiss. 298.— Thunb. Fl. Cap. 153.— 

 0. DC. Prodr. n. 31. — M. serrata Lamk. M. 

 arguta H. B. K. of Columbia is used for dyeing. 



9 Wall. Tent. FL Nepal. 59, t. 45. 



JO Ii. Spec. 1453. — Duham. Arbr. ed. 2, t. 

 57.— Reichb, Ic. Fl. Germ. t. 620. — Mek. et 

 Del. Diet. Mat. Med. iv. 531. — Guib. op. cit. ii. 

 281.— Gren. et GODR. Fl. de Fr. iii. 151.— C. 

 DC. Prodr. 147. 



J^ They are said to be used, with the bark of 

 several Alders and Birches, in the preparation 

 of Russia leather (p. 255). 



J2 M. Faya AiT. {Faya fragifera Webb) has 

 large fleshy fruit, eaten in the Canary and 

 Madeira isles. 



