18 DR. B. SEEMANN ON THE CRESCENTIACEJE. 



rous herds of cattle. Bullocks especially, if fed with Guinea grass, Batatilla (Ipomcea 

 brachypoda, Bth. = J. variabilis, Chois.), and the fruit of this tree, soon get fat. It is 

 generally admitted, however, that their meat partakes in some degree of the peculiar 

 apple-like smell of the fruit ; but that is by no means disagreeable, and easily got rid of 

 if, for a few days previous to the killing of the animal, the food is changed. As the 

 principal harvest is at a season when all herbaceous vegetation is dried up, the culti- 

 vation of this tree in tropical countries is especially to be recommended : a few acres 

 of it at each farm, would effectually prevent that want of fodder always severely felt after 

 the periodical rains have ceased." 



2. Pabmentieea edulis ; ramis aculeatis, aculeis sub foliis insertis, foliis aliis simpli- 

 cibus ovato -oblongis vel cuneato-lanceolatis, aliis trifoliolatis, foliolis ovato-oblongis 

 utrinque attenuatis integerrimis, petiolo superne anguste alato vel nudo, corolhie 

 (virescentis) lobis undulato-crispis, fructu angulato tuberculato. (v. sp. s.) 



Parmeiiiiera edulis, De Cand. Rev. Bignon. p. 19; Prodr. ix. p. 244. Seem, in Hook. Journ. and Kew 



Misc. vi. p. 27.3. 

 Parmentiera aculeata, Seem, in Bot. Herald, p. 183. 



Crescentia aculeata, Humb. Bonpl. et Kunth, Nov. Gen. Amei\ iii. p. 158; DeCand. Prodr. ix. p. 247- 

 Crescentia edulis, Desv. Journ. Bot. iv. p. 112; DeCand. Prodr. ix. p. 246; M09. Fl. Mex. ined. fide DC. 

 Crescentia muscBcarpa, Zaldivar, Fl. Mex. ined. nov. ; Heller, Reisen in Mexiko, p. 414. 

 Quauxhichotl seu arbor Cucumeris moschati, Hernandez, Mex. p. 90. 

 Nomina vernacula Mexicana : " Quauxhichotl," " Quaunuxilotl ," " Quaxilote " et " Cuajilote," teste 



DeCand. et Heller. 

 Geogr. Distr. Mexico {Schiedel n. 1207, Coulter !). According to Hernandez, it is found in Yauhetepec ; 



according to Desvaux, in Guaxaca; according to Humboldt and Bonpland, in Campeche, at Gona- 



catepic ; and according to Coulter, at Zinapan. 



5. Crescentia, Linn. 



Calyx deciduus, bilabiatus, lobis integerrimis. Corolla subcampanulata, tubo elongato, fauce magna 

 ventricosa, limbo inoequaliter 5-fido vel crenato aut fimbriato-laciniato. Stamina 4, cum rudimento 

 quinti. Antherm biloculares, loculis divergentibus. Discus glandulosus ovarii basin cingens. Stylus 

 elongatus; stigma bilamellatum. Ovarium 1-loculare, multiovulatum. Fructus globosus, ovatus 

 vel ellipsoideus, cortice lignoso, spurie 2-locularis, intus pulposus. Semina plurima. Albumen 

 nullum. Embryo magnus. 



Arbores vel frutices arborescentes in America tropica indigense, in Asia et Africa cultte, foliis alternis 

 solitariis vel fasciculatis, simplicibus vel trifoliolatis, pedunculis e trunco ramisve ortis, coroUis 

 rubentibus, virescentibus, vel virescentibus purpureo et flavo variegatis, fructibus virescentibus vel 

 flavescentibus. 



Crescentia, Linn. Gen. n. 772 ; Endl. Gen. Plant, n. 417 ; DeCand. Prodr. ix. p. 246 excl. sp. ; Seem, in 

 Hook. Journ. and Kew Misc. vi. p. 273. 



Cujete, Plum. Gen. 1. 16. 



Crescentia Cujete, Linn., the species upon which the genus Crescentia was founded, is 

 distinguished from its congeners by its fasciculate leaves, all of which are simple, and its 

 fruit, the shell of which is so hard that it can be broken only by tlie application of an axe 

 or some other sharp instrument. To this species C. cuneifoUa, Gardn. must be added as 

 a synonym, as the latter is in no way distinct from the former, some of the specimens in 



