COMBBETACEM. 279 



hexapetalum'^ are said to be purgative and diuretic. Tupelos has 

 sliglitly acid drupes, especially Nyssa capitata^ and biflora^ (fig. 

 241-244), the fruit of which, is sometimes substituted for citrons. 

 That of N. aquatica,* villosa,^ scandens,^ is also eaten. The wood 

 of these trees splits with difficulty, on account of the intricacy of 

 their fibres ; it is often used in the United States, but is little 

 valued.'' These trees are cultivated among us with some difficulty. 

 Plants of the other series are met with only in conservatories, where 

 certain species of Gombretum and Quisqualis produce red flowers of a 

 very fine effect. 



1 IiAMK. loc. Ht. — DC. Prodr. iii. 203 {Na/mi- oompiising iV. vilhsa W. and sylvatica Marsh. 

 dou, Kara-Angolam). Chapman adds in the south N. aquaticali. and 



2 Walt. Fl. Carol. 253, n. 4. N. capUata Walt. ; in all, consequently only 

 ' MicHX. Fl. Bor.-Amer. ii. 259. — N. aquatica four American species, which, probahly, present 



L. P (ex MicHX.). many variations. 



^ L. Syst. (ed. 1780), iv. 358. ' On the stem of a Nyssa anguUsana, see 



■■• MicHX. op. cit. 258. Trectjl, Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 3, xvii. 270. On the 



* MiCHX. ex EosENTH. op. cit. 239. Accord- wood of the Jlangiea : Lindl. Veg. Kingd. 720. 



ing to A. Gray, there are in the northern That of the Gomhretacea in general, and notahly 



United States only two species of Nyssa; N. those growing in hrackish waters, presents 



imiflora, comprising N. tomeiitosa, anguHsans and numerous peculiarities for study. 

 ffrandidentata Michx. N. multiflora Wang, and 



