MAILVACEÆ. 117 
much esteemed in tropical Asia! In Colombia the more or less 
fibrous pericarp of Sapote and of Castano is eaten, the former 
is Quararibea cordata the latter Q. Castaño We are assured 
that in India the fruit of Herttiera litloralis is also harvested as 
edible, as is also in tropical Africa the pericarp of several S/er- 
culias. In S. cordifolia, of Senegal, the edible part is considered 
to be the aril of the seed. In the common Boabab’ (figs. 169, 
170), it is the pulp enveloping the seeds, acid and refreshing 
at first, and finally dried and farinaceous, that is edible; it was 
formerly imported into Europe, under the name of /erre de 
Lemnos. It was at that time in Greece and Egypt, as it is in 
our day among the negro tribes of Africa, a reputed remedy, under 
the name of dow?, for diarrhoea, dysentery, hemoptysis, putrid fevers, 
&e. The exterior part of the fruit,’ a sort of woody bark of variable 
form, is used like the Bottle-gourds (Fr., Ca/ebasses) as vases or cis- 
terns. Reduced to ashes they furnish an alkaline lye, which serves 
to saponify the rancid palm oil. The roasted seeds are used in 
Nubia in the preparation of a decoction as a remedy for dysentery. 
Those of several Sterculias have similar properties in their embryo, 
while they are also rich in tannin; consequently they are rarely 
edible. The kernels of S. carthagenensis' (fig. 78) are always eaten 
in the province of Goyaz; those of S. fetida’ in Eastern India ; 

Diss., v. 298, t. 15.—Lamk., JU., t. 588.— 
Mér. & Dez., Dict. Mat. Méd., i. 72.—Guipz., 
1 The Civet-cat feeds on it, whence its specific 
name. This fruit passes as aphrodisiacal having, 
at the same time, the flavour of several fruits 
and vegetables and of cream. It has also 
the odour of the cucumber and of garlic. It 
appears at first fœtid and repulsive, but those 
who accustom themselves to it by degrees find it 
delicious afterwards, 
2H. By., in Adansonia, x. 147,—Matisia 
cordata H. B., Pl. Æquin., i. 10, t. 2, 3.— 
H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec., v. 307.—DC., 
Prodr., i. 477 (Chupa-chupa of New Granada), 
3H, BN. loc. cit., 146.—Matisia Castaño 
Tr. & Karst., N. Pl. Fl. N.-Granad., 24; in 
Linnea (1857), 86.—Tr. & Pu, in Ann. Se. 
Nat., sér. 4, xvii. 326 (vulg. Castaño). 
4 Guizzem. & Perr., Fl. Seneg. Tent., i. 79, 
t. 15 (an Cav.?).—Masr. in Oliv, Fl. Trop. 
Afr., i. 217, n. 4. In Adansonia, x. 173, this 
plant is connected with the genus Cola on 
account of the arrangement of the anthers. 
5 Adansonia digitata L., Spee, 960.—Cav., 
Drog. Simpl., éd. 6, iii. 643.—Lrinv1., Fl. Med., 
139.—RosENTH., op. cit., 716.—H. BN., in Dict. 
Encycl. Se. Méd., i. 691.—? Ophelus salutarius 
Lour., Fl. Cochinch., 501. 
6 Vulg. Pain de singe (monkey bread). 
7 Cav., Diss., vi. 353.—R. Br., in Horsf. Pl. 
Jav, Rar., 225.—Tr. & Px., in Ann. Sc. Nat., 
sér, 4, xvii. 329.—S. Helicteres PERs., Syn., ii. 
240.—S. Chicha A. S. H., Pl. Us. Bras., t. 46 ; 
Fl. Bras. Mer., i, 278.—Helicteres apetala 
Jacg., Amer., 238, t. 181, fig. 97 (vulg. Chicha, 
Panama, Camajonduro). The term apetala, 
adopted by Karsten, and which ought to have 
been employed rigorously (according to the ancient 
custom), is not always admissible, all the Sfer- 
culias being apetalous. The seeds are rich in 
oil, as are also those of S. lastantha Marr. 
5 L., Spec., 1431.—DC., Prodr., i. 483, n. 
27.—Clompanus major RKumru., Herb. Am- 
boin., iii. t. 107. 
