MELIACE^,. 481 



Mahogoni^ (fig. 472-477), a superb tree of tropical America, whose, 

 coloured and odorous wood is so much sought after. It exudes a 

 sort of gum giving it its odour, not at all agreeable when it is fresh, 

 and which preserves it from worms. The bark is bitter, astringent, 

 febrifugal, anti-putrid. The fruit is used to extract an oil called 

 Caraba. S. fehrifuga^^ become the type of the genus Soymida, has 

 also a useful reddish wood ; it is a tonic employed in India for ague 

 fits. The bark is especially used,^ its abuse may produce nervous 

 accidents, vertigo, and stupor. It is recommended for gangrene, 

 typhoid affections, and as astringent for diarrhoea ; a sort of gum- 

 kino is extracted from it. Chickrassia tahularis,'^ of the same 

 country, is also a beautiful tree with useful wood and strongly 

 astringent antidiarrhoeic bark. Khaya senegalensis ^ is the Senegal 

 Mahogany or Cailcedra. The wood, analogous to that of Swietenia, 

 is less beautiful, less valued, of a more vinous shade, retaining the 

 polish less permanently. It contains also a gum-resinous substance, 

 and its bark is employed for the same purposes as quinine, for ague 

 fits, flux wounds, haemorrhage. Chloroxylon Swietenia ® yields one of 

 the Satin Woods''' of commerce, that of India or Atlas Wood. From 

 the incised bark flows a resin analogous to that of the Conifers, 

 especially Bammara, having the same uses.^ The leaves of Flindersia 

 are loaded with glandular punctuations, like Chloroxylon and the 

 RutaceoB ; ^ corresponding to the presence of an essential oil sometimes 

 extracted from F. Australis,^^ and especially F. amioinensisM The 

 sapid fruits of this serve as rasps to the natives. The Yellow Wood 



' L. Spec.271. — Cat. Diss.yzi. 365, t. 209. — ' On the structure of this wood, see Olit. 



TuKP. Diet. Sc. Nat. Atl. t. 170. — M:fiii et Del. Stem Dicot. 10. The wood of all the useful 



Diet. Mat. Mid. yi. 615. — DC. Prodr. i. 625, n. Meliacese ought to be studied in detail. 



1. — GriJiB. 0^. ci<. iii. 588. — Lindl. .F^. 3ferf. 155. ' Another species has been distinguished in 



— EosENTH. op. eit. 768. — Cedrus Mahogoni Mill. India, G. dupada Buohan. whose resin is used 



{Cedre des Antilles). to calk ships (Eosenth. loo. cit.). 



2 See p. 605, note 2.— GuiB. op. cit. iii. 588, ' With which they are found to have cer- 

 690. — LiNBL. Fl. Med. 165. — Eosenth. op. cit. tain incontestable affinities, but from which 

 769. their fruits and seeds will distinguish them. 



3 Bohuna bark. w E. Bk. Flind. Toy. ii. 695, t. 1. — Benth. 

 * See p. 506, note 1. Lindl. Fl. Med. 167. — Fl. Austral, i. 388, n. 1.— Patek, £lem. 237, 



Eosenth. op. cit. 769. fig. 639. 



' See p. 605,' note 4. — GrriB. op. cit. iii. " Poir. J)ict. Suppl. iv. 650.— DC. Prodr. 



588.— LiNDL. Fl. Med. 157.— Eosenth. op. cit. i. 626, n. 2.— Eosenth, op. cit. 170.— Arbor 



768. radulifera Eumph. Seri. Amboin. iii. 201, 1. 129. 



« See p. 508, note 2. —Eosenth. op. cit. —Pom. Diet. vi. 68.— Buch. Ac. x. (Cent. 5), 



709.— H.Bn. Diet. EncycL.des. Sc. Mid. xvi. t. 8 {Caju Baroedan, BaduUcr). 



