Ornamental Woods. 499 



spicnous from its polished dark-green trunk. It bears fra- 

 grant corymbs of small, white flowers. The wood is light 

 and tough, and is used for beams in houses. But, from 

 its abundance and the readiness with which it burns while 

 green, it supplies most of the fuel consumed by the Am- 

 azonian steamers. It is probably the same ti-ee that the 

 Napo Indians call Sindicaspa, meaning " the wood that 

 burns," a special provision in these damp forests, where 

 every thing is dripping with moisture. 



Pao-busha resembles ash, but is of little worth as tim- 

 ber. It grows on the Lower Amazons and Rio Negro. 



Pao-santo, or "Holy -wood" — {Guiacum officinale). 

 Much used in carving images. Called also " Guayacan " 

 on the Andes, to the slopes of which it is confined. 



Pao-peeto, or " Black-wood." — This name, so far as we 

 can learn, does not belong to a definite species, but is ap- 

 plied to several dark- colored woods growing along the 

 whole river. The ebony heart of the Palo de Cruz is a 

 Pao-preto. The Palo-prieto of Mexico has a smooth, green 

 bark, tall straight trunk, and evergreen foliage. 



Pao-eosa, or " Rose - wood." — There is some confusion 

 as to the trees furnishing this fine timber, probably aris- 

 ing from the fact that several distinct kinds yield a Rose- 

 wood. The true Pao-rosa is a leguminous tree — Tripto- 

 lomea (formerly Physocalymma) floribunda. The wood 

 is rose -colored, fragrant, with a hard, close texture, well 

 fitting it for construction and cabinet-work. The best lo- 

 cality is on the Rio Japura. The Rose-wood of Guiana is 

 a laurel. Cabiuna, or " Bois de Palissandre," belongs to 

 Southern Brazil. 



Jacaeanda, the " Rose - wood " of commerce {Bignonia 

 Brasiliana of most botanists; by others considered a le- 

 guminous tree). Evidently several kinds of timber bear 

 this name. One is a Macherhcm, and another Dolbergia. 



