124 LETTER XXXVII. 



Another Tribe, related to the foregoing, is that of the 

 Spurges (Plate XXXVIII. 2.) ; plants distinguished 

 from all others by two characters ; the one that of hav- 

 ing the stamens in one kind of flower, and the pistil in 

 another, the other that of having a fruit which divides, 

 when ripe, into three coccoons, whence it is called 

 tricoccous. By these peculiarities are combined a 

 large number of exceedingly remarkable plants, many 

 of which are highly deleterious, most of which are 

 exotics, and a very small number of which are either 

 wild in our woods, or cultivated in our gardens. 



Among them, few are more remarkable then the Palma 

 Chrkti (Ricinus), with its deeply-lobed, livid, purple 

 leaves, and long clusters of stamen-bearing flowers, 

 at the base of which are clustered a few spiny pistil- 

 liferous ones. Another species is the Box-tree ; Ta- 

 pioca and Cassava are yielded by a third (Jatropha 

 Manihot); and Indian rubber^ that curious substance, 

 to whose utility there really seems to be no limit, flows 

 from the wounded bark of others. Arrows are poisoned 

 with the dangerous juice of various species; and there 

 is a long succession of them upon the list of fatal or 

 useful plants. 



Few plants are more remarkable for their proper- 

 ties, than Manchineel (Hippomane MancineUa). 



" If rests the traveller his weaty head, 

 Grim MancineUa haunts the mossy bed, 

 Brews her black hebenon, and stealing near, 

 Pours the curst venom in his tortured ear." 



It is a West Indian tree, with which the Indians 

 poison their arrows ; and the dew that falls from it is 



