83 



N. Ord. LEGUMINOS^. 

 Tribe Sophorete. 



Genus Toluifera,* Linn. (1742). B. & EL, Gen., i, p. 558 

 (Myroxylon, Linn, f.) ; Baill., Hist. PI., ii, p. 369 ; Klotzsch, 

 in Bonplandia, 1857, pp. 272-277. Species 4 or 5 ? natives 

 of tropical South America. 



83. Toluifera Pereirse,f Baill., Hist. Plant., ii, p. 383 (1870). 



Syn. Myrospermum Pereirse, Royle (1853). Myroxylon Pereirse, 

 Klotzsch. Toluifera Balsamurn, var., Baill. 



Figures. Pharmaceutical Journ., x (1850-51), pp. 280-282 (leaves and 

 pods). 



Description. A tree attaining a height of about 50 feet, the 

 trunk throwing out spreading ascending branches at 6 to 10 feet 

 from the ground ; bark of young branchlets purplish-grey, smooth, 

 with white lenticels. Leaves alternate, without stipules, 6 8 

 inches long, pinnate with 6 10 alternate, shortly- stalked leaflets, 

 readily disarticulating, rachis and thickish petioles (especially the 

 latter) covered with a close felt of very short rufous hairs which 

 is more dense on the buds and unexpanded leaves, leaflets 2 2f 

 (usually about 2|) inches long by 1 1| wide, oblong-ovate, or 

 sometimes slightly obovate, abruptly rounded at the base, with an 

 attenuated, blunt, emarginate point often slightly twisted, entire 

 but with the margin considerably puckered, slightly coriaceous, 

 finely veined, midrib very prominent below ; in the substance of 

 the leaf between the smallest veins are more or less rounded or 

 elongated glands or reservoirs which are transparent when the 

 (dried) leaf is held against the light. Flowers numerous, on 

 slender spreading pedicles inch long, which readily separate 

 from the axis above the very small bracts, laxly arranged in a 

 long- stalked erect raceme 6 or 7 inches in length ; rachis, bracts 

 and pedicels all covered with a very short rufous tomentum ; buds 



* From affording Balsam of Tolu. 



f Named in memory of Jonathan Pereira, M.D., F.R.S., the eminent 

 author of ' Elements of Materia Medica,' and professor to the Pharmaceutical 

 Society, who died in 1853. 



