112 COMMERCIAL BOTASTT. 



In 1859 it was brought to the notice of the Pharmaceutical 

 Society, and in 1862 a report of its nutritive value was 

 published in the Journal of the same Society ; from this it 

 would seem that its composition is analogous to coffee, tea, 

 cocoa, etc. ; and it was then suggested that it might become 

 an article of commerce in this country. The substance is 

 composed of the fatty kernels of the seeds of Irvingia 

 Barteri, a simarubeous tree of West tropical Africa, and is 

 made into masses of a cone-like form, sometimes weighing 

 as much as fifty pounds. It forms an important article of 

 food amongst the natives, and contains 70 to 80 per cent. 

 of solid fatty matter. It has quite recently been stated 

 that this fat is now used, mixed with cocoa butter from 

 Tli^ohroma cacao, for medicinal purposes. 



Telfairia occidentalis. — A climbing plant belonging to 

 the order Cucurbitaceae, native of West tropical Africa, 

 where the plant is cultivated for the sake of its seeds, which 

 contain a sweet bland oil. They are cooked and eaten by the 

 natives, and are said to be very palatable. The seeds are 

 occasionally brought into Liverpool as oil seeds. The plant, 

 which flowered at Kew in 1876, was raised from seeds 

 received in 1870 from the Liverpool Botanic Garden. 



Myristica angolensis. — A native of Angola, where it is 

 known as Mtjtugo. The seeds, which are about three- 

 quarters of an inch long and half an inch broad, are 

 ruminated like an ordinary nutmeg, but have no aroma and 

 but little or no taste. They are said to contain about three- 

 fourths of their weight of fatty oil. They were first im- 

 ported into Liverpool as oil seeds in 1884. 



Other species of Myristica to which attention hsis been 

 directed as oil seeds are : — 1. M. surinamensis, imported into 

 Liverpool from Para as oil seeds in 1881. Like the former, 

 they have no smell and very little taste. They are nearly 

 globular, about the size of a small marble, and are known as 

 OuAGO nuts by the Spaniards. They are said to yield 72 



