a new Species of ibe Bask Free | 455 
Mr. George Davidfon’s account of the Bark-Tree of the ifland 
oe of St. Lucia. 
THE Bark-Tree of this ifland is nearly about the fize of the 
cherry-tree, feldom thicker than the thigh, and_ tolerably 
firaight; the wood is fight and porous, without any of the 
bitternefs and aftringency of the bark itfelf. 
* Tt delights in a fhady fituation, the north-weft afpe& -of 
hills, under larger trees; and 1s generally to be found about 
the middle of an hill, near fome running water. 
The leaves are large, oblong, oppofite, and plain, preferving 
(as well as the flowers and feeds) the bitter tafte of the bark. 
In the beginning of the rainy feafon (June), the tree puts 
forth its flowers in {mall tufts; at firft they are white, but 
afterwards turn purplifh. The fltamina are five in number, 
with a fingle ftyle. The germen is oblong, bilocular, and 
- furrowed on each fide. The feeds are many, and of the winged 
kind. The corolla is monopetalous, with its mouth divided 
into five long fegments. 
The foil in general where it grows 1s a ftiff red clay. The 
bark itfelf is of a lighter red than that fent out here to the 
hofpital under the name of red bark. It inclines more to the 
colour of cinnamon. The bitternefs and aftringency appear to 
be greater than in either of the other barks. 
I apprehend, the proper feafon for obtaining it is about the 
month of March, before the flowers come cut: after-expe- 
rience will beft determine this. 
Infufed in cold water, in which form, or in lime-water, I 
generally ufe it, it forms a very red tincture, pofiefling the 
3 | bitternefs 
