Plants Collected in Paraguay. 61 



as that of our upland Southern cotton, yet the fibre is very fine. 

 The seeds are much smaller than those of our cultivated cotton. 

 I have no doubt that it would be greatly improved by cultivation, 

 and that among an enterprising people it might become an article 

 of great commercial importance. March-April. 



CUorisia speciosa, St. Hil., PL Usuel., t. 43. 



Asuncion (725); Pilcomayo River (10*75). March-May. 



One of the most remarkable trees in Paraguay, known popularly 

 as Palo borracho, or drunken tree, from the huge belly-like protuber- 

 ance of its trunk. The flowers, at first a pale yellow, finally become 

 nearly or quite white, and are as large as those of a lily. The limbs 

 are long and stand out horizontally from the trunk. The trunk and 

 largest limbs are armed with stout spines, which have a large but- 

 ton-shaped base, and a strong, sharp, spiny point. The inner bark, 

 of a fine white color, strips off in long ribbons, and can be twisted 

 into strong twine, which is used by the Indians in making fishing- 

 lines and nets. The sap turns blood-red after being exposed to the 

 air, and evidently contains a red coloring-matter, which might be 

 used as a dye. The swollen trunk is often used for making canoes. 

 One that we hewed out was capable of carrying two or three men. 

 The wood is soft and can be cut with a penknife as easily as a raw 

 potato, which it much resembles, very different from most of the 

 woods of the region, which are nearly as hard as iron. 



STEHCULIACEJE. 

 Sterculia striata, St. Hil. et Naud., Ann. Sci. Nat., II, ser. xviii, 213. 



Asuncion (616). March. 



A large tree from 16 to 25 m. in height, which I often saw culti- 

 vated in gardens at Asuncion. The trunk has smooth, dark bark, 

 with large palmately 5-lobed leaves, which have the 2 lower lobes 

 overlapping, so as to give a peltate appearance to the leaves at first 

 sight. The flowers appear to be polygamous, mostly staminate, 

 and hence the fruit is scarce. The inflorescence is very glandular 

 and quite sticky in drying. Pruit in 2 twin, divaricate pods, each 

 of which is l-celied and several seeded. An American gentleman, 

 resident of Asuncion, who had the tree growing in his garden, called 

 it the " Peanut tree," though I cannot tell why, as there is nothing 

 in the appearance or taste of the fruit like a peanut. 



