F A B A C E JE. 



267 



2. C. LANGSDORFFII, Fig. 137. 



Desfontaines. - Leaflets 

 3 — 5 pairs, equal sided, 

 obtuse, with pellucid 

 dots ; the petioles and pe- 

 duncles slightly downy. 



This species, and 

 C. coriacea, Martius, 

 are found in the 

 Provinces of San 

 Paulo, and Minas, 

 in Brazil, and afford 

 the best balsam which 

 comes from Rio Ja- 

 neiro, though other 

 species also con- 

 tribute their quota, 

 as all those growing 

 in hot and moist situ- 

 ations yield a good c. langsdorffii. 

 product, and in large 



quantities, whilst those in drier and more inland localities afford a smaller 

 proportion, but of a more resinous character. 



3. C. coriacea, Martius. — Leaflets 2 — 3 pairs, elliptical, equilateral, emarginate, coria- 

 ceous, not dotted, smooth on both sides, somewhat glaucous beneath. Bahia, San Paulo, 

 and Minas. 



4. C. guianensis, Desfontaines. — Leaflets 3 — 4 pairs, ovate-elliptic, smooth, mucronate, 

 with pellucid dots. Rio Negro, Para, and Guiana. 



5. C. multijuga, Hayne. — Leaflet* 6 — 10 pairs, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, mucronate, 

 with pellucid dots. Para. This is said to afford a very excellent balsam. 



Besides these, Hayne enumerates the C. beyrichii, C Martii, C. Jussieui, 

 C. nitida, C. laza, C. cordifolia, C. sellowii, and C. oblongifolia, as all pro- 

 ducing balsam of different degrees of purity. He is of opinion that the species 

 mentioned by Piso (Med. Bras.), was the C. bijuga. De Candolle notices a 

 tree affording this balsam, and said to inhabit -the island of Mauritius, under 

 the name of C. disperma, but it is very imperfectly known, and it is probable 

 that there is some mistake as to its habitat. 



Sub-order 3. Mimose^e. — Corolla valvate in aestivation. 



The most general characteristics of this group are astringency in the 

 bark, and the production of a gum. The bark of most of them is astringent 

 and tonic. In some species of Acacia, it abounds so much in tanning prin- 

 ciples as to become an object of commercial importance. But this property 

 is not confined to the bark alone ; in A. catechu the heart-wood contains a 

 valuable astringent substance, called Catechu, which is obtained by boiling 

 and evaporating. Several of the Ingas are astringents of a similar nature. 



The gums are principally the product of species of Acacia, but are also 

 afforded by other plants of the group. Some are emetic, as the Entada pur- 

 scetha of Java ; others are purgatives. This is the case with the pulp of the 

 pods of Inga vera and I.fceculifera. A few are poisonous, among which 

 are the roots of several species of Mimosa. The Inga unguiscati is said to 

 be a good remedy in urinary complaints and obstructions of the liver and 



