GUAIACUM. 
ebtufe, Cones erendiog, longer than the calyx, with fhort 
linear claws, inferted into the receptacle. Stam. Filaments, 
ten, awl- cane, pie {mooth, fhorter than the corolla, in- 
ferted into the pei g usd ; anthers incumbent, oblong, 
cloven at each end, at length recurved. iff. Germen on a 
es {talk, turbinate, lobed, Ty se ftyle fhort, inldhapes 
ma funple, acute, . Cap fale fon.ewhat turbinate; 
fetked, with from two to five rounded, flightly bordered, 
sages and as many cells, burfting at the angles, the parti- 
tions from the centre of each valve, the other coat rather 
Seeds Cit pendulous, ovate, convex on oue 
er. 
Petals five. 
Stigma acute. 
cells and a “valve with contrary partitions. Seeds foli- 
tary, nd 
Obf. The thar ae number of cells and valves of the fruit 
is five, but there are moftly but two or three, not perhaps 
from abortion, except in the very earlieft {tate of the germen 
long before fecundation can take place, becaufe that part is 
i at that early age, frequently found to confilt of onl 
wo lobes, Gabieg the poe of cruciform fMieulote 
“G 
1. G. officinale. Linn. Sp. Pl. 546. Woody. Med. Bot. 
t. 16. (Cs s aronee ee Phyt. t. 35. £. 3, 4+ Lignum 
Vitae ; 134. t. 222. f. 3—6 )—Leaves of 
two pees of Stiptical hate lcaflets.—Native of Jamaica, ni 
a Eg » Kc. tree « 30 feet high, and near a foot i in the 
r of its trunk, the branches numerous, divaricated, 
Seay, ‘ely at the ends ; ; the bark very {mooth, variegated 
with and white; the wood hard and eletoun dark 
olive-brown within, whitifh towards the bark, having a pecu- 
liar acid aromatic sonst. and well known in England by the 
name of Brafil w vite. The saves are op- 
polite, abrupt! ue conhilting of only two pair of obo- 
vate or di obtufe, entire, fmooth, pale, rigid, leafiets, 
various in fize, with feveral radiating veins. Flowers pale 
blue, on fimple, hp cluttered ftalks, thorter os the 
leaves. The wood and bark were celebrated remedies for 
vencreal complete, ) before mercury came into ufe, as the 
i or ein, itil is for ee Pls - orders, 
wm. Linn. Sp. Pl. 547. (G. americanum, len- 
tifed ola Cons. Hort. Amft. “ “4 171.t. 88. Hoaxa- 
a s five ae Bou ; Hernand. ex. 63. Jafminum 
aati. Side 4 La Gas te ae By 
former, and oblique ufe, veiny, fome- 
times fpeckled with black. eta rather her corymbole, ag 
ellow wood of this {pecies was firit introduced 
cure for the venereal difeafe 44 the and ae 
we G. dubium. Fork. Prod. 32. tied conjugate, 
ong, lanceolate, a Cag em by Forfter in the 
ar * I oncg paged we know nothing more 
G. afram, Linn 5 547. is the beautiful Scbotia 
eo fs of Jacquin, 4-5 er t. papa _ See eng 
tot oe 
bark, and are garnifhed with leaves divided by pairs ; each 
pair ‘having two pair of {mall oval pet tm of a ftiff 
confiftence, and a lucid green ; the flowers are produced in 
clufters at the ends of the ted ale owe of five avd 
concave petals, of a fine blue colour ; in &: e centre of thefe 
is fixed a ftyle with an ov ed by a flender 
ftigma ; and round this is fituated a great Sties of ftamina, 
which are as long as ps ftyle, is terminated by fickle-fhaped 
fummits. The woo of ts tree is fo hard as to break the 
tools in felling Seis . that it is feldom cut down for fire- 
wood, being difficult to burn; but is of great ufe to the 
ugar-planters for making wheels and cogs for {ugar mills, 
It is alfo frequently brought to Europe, and wrought into 
bows and other utenfils, Miller 
Guaiacum, in the Materia Medica, is a {pecies of the tree 
above-defcribed. The wood, gum, bark, fruit, and eves 
the flowers of this tree, polfels rep masiye qualiti 
wood is brought here paw ie 
pieces of four or five cwt. eac = on account of its hard- 
nefs and beauty, is much valued for various articles of 
turnery ware, &c. It is very compaét, and fpecifi 
heavier than water; the colour bel the outer part is a p 
eta ees of the heart a da kith brown, with a 
Without Ratan or rafping it has 
little eee nel but during thefe operations its odour 
is Dinas aromatic ; when chewed it is flightly acrimo- 
cy refides in a refinous matter, which is 
totally Ts pane digeftion in reétified {pirit, and ps 
by boiling water. The folid extraét, obtained b 
{pirit, amounts to about one-fourth of the weight o the woods 
with wee fcarcely gc is obtained, (Lew is’s Mat. 
€ gum, or ra fin y wound- 
nitri dule. may to the fpirituous folution, and a 
ate with water, by which i 
the 
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