248 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



the nut being employed as an alexipharmic and stomachic. It is doubtful 

 whether it properly belongs to this genus. 



Myrospermum. — Jacquin. 



Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed, persistent. Petals 5, the upper one largest. Stamens 

 10, free. Ovary oblong, membranous, with a filiform lateral style. Legume with the 

 stalk naked at base but winged above, 1-celled ; 1 — 2-seeded ; seed covered with a balsamic 

 juice. 



This genus was established by Jacquin for certain trees peculiar to South 

 America, and includes Toluifera, Linn, and Myroxylon, Mutis ; the latter 

 name had already been used by Forster for another plant. The meaning is 

 sweet or odorous seeds. They have unequally pinnate leaves, and compressed, 

 membranous, oftentimes one-seeded legumes. 



1. M. peruiferum, De Candolle. — Leaflets coriaceous, pointed, emarginate, persistent. 

 Claw of larger petal twice the length of the calyx. Wing of the legume very thick, not 

 buried. 



De Candolle, Prod. ii. 95; S. and C. ii. 102; Lindley, Fl. Med. 279; 

 Myroxy Ion peruiferum, Linn., Suppl. 233. 



Common Names. — Balsam of Peru ; Quinquino. 



Foreign Names. — Baume de Peru, Fr. ; Balsamo del Peru, It. ; Peruvi- 

 anischer Balsam, Ger. 



Fig. 127. 



M. peruiferum. 



Description. — A large and 

 elegant tree, with the trunk and 

 branches covered with a gray, 

 coarse, thick, compact bark, of 

 a pale colour internally, and 

 filled with a fragrant resin. The 

 branches are almost horizontal. 

 The leaves are alternate, and 

 are composed of two to five 

 pairs of nearly opposite leaflets, 

 which are ovate lanceolate, 

 acute, but with the apex some- 

 what obtuse and emarginate, 

 smooth, shining, entire, with 

 pellucid dots, on short petioles. 

 Many leaves terminate une- 

 qually. The flowers spring 

 from the axils of the leaves in 

 long, tomentose, erect racemes, 

 longer than the leaves, with 

 slender peduncles and a small 

 bract at the base of each. The 

 calyx is bell-shaped, dark-green, 

 five-toothed. The corolla is 

 formed of five petals, four of 

 which are narrow, lanceolate, 

 equal ; the fifth broad, reflexed, 

 and twice the size of the others. 

 The stamens are ten y with 

 elongate, sulcate anthers. The 

 ovary is oblong pedicellate, with 

 a short, subulate, crooked style 

 bearing a simple stigma. The 

 fruit is a pendulous, yellowish 

 legume, somewhat clavate and 

 curved, and terminating by the 





