I 



105 



taining the seedy, and opening transversely by a lid at the CASE 

 top. They grew in the forests of the hottest parts of 56. 

 South America. The fruits of many species are used, 

 after the seeds have been removed, as water vessels. 

 Amongst the species exhibited are Lecythis ampullaria, 

 Miers, L. cimpla, Miers, L. urnigera, Mart., L. lacunosa, 

 Miers, L. usitata^ Miers. 



In the last compartment of this case note wood of 

 Wadadura {Lecythis grandiflora^ Aubl.), of British 

 Ouiana. It is even-grained, dense, takes a j?ood polish 

 and is employed for furniture, turnery and barrel staves. 

 Also observe wood and specimens of the bark of 

 Kakaralli (L. Ollaria, L.), of British Guiana. The 

 wood is very dense and even-grained. It is said to resist 

 both teredo and barnacles, and to be more durable in 

 water than greenheart {see Case 98). Used for house 

 framing, wharves, sluices, &c. The papery inner bark is 

 employed by the natives of British Guiana for cigarette 

 wrappers. 



No. 277. Sapucaia Nuts, the edible seeds of 

 Lecythis usitata, Miers, and of L. Ollaria, L., gigantic 

 forest trees of Brazil and Guiana. Sapucaia-nuts are 

 regarded as greatly superior in delicacy and flavour to 

 the closely allied Brazil-nut. 



No. 278. Brazil-nuts, about twenty-four of which 

 are contained in one of the hard-shelled fruits of the 

 Bertholletia excelsa, H.B., an enormous tree, growing on 

 the Amazon. 



Note in the upper portion of this compartment, a kind 

 of garment known as " Tacae " worn by Cuben Indians 

 on the Rio Uaupes, a tributary of the Amazon, made 

 partly of the fibrous bark of a Myrtaceous tree. 



On the lower shelves and in the next case the 

 Melastom Order {Melastomciceae) is represented ; a 

 very large tropical family, characterized by opposite 

 three-veined leaves, and splendid flowers with curious 

 stamens, but affording very few economic products. 



Note in the first compartment of this case, wood and CASE 

 combs made from the wood of Memecylon edide, Roxb., 57. 

 from Southern India, also specimens of the leaves which 

 are used as a dye. 



