grub] 



®%z Creajfttrg at Satang. 



554 



Some regard it as an order which should 

 be placed between Santalacece and Brunia- 

 ceos, from the former of which it differs in 

 habit and inflorescence, in the lobes of the 

 stamens scarcely adhering at the base, in 

 the form of the anthers, and in the bilo- 

 cular ovary ; and from the latter, in the 

 want of lobes either to the calyx or corolla, 

 the valvate aestivation, and the long em- 

 bryo. [J. H. B.] 



GRT7BBIA. A genus of bruniads, dis- 

 tinguished hy having hermaphrodite 

 flowers in the axils of single bracts, and 

 grouped in small heads with a two-leaved 

 involucre ; style very short, truncate at 

 the end, which is slightly three-lobed. The 

 species are Cape shrubs, with four-angled 

 branches, and having the leaves in pairs, 

 shortly stalked, narrow, acute, with their 

 margins rolled back. [G. D.] 



GRUGRTJ. A Trinidad name f or Astroca- 

 ryum vulgare, and also Acrocomia sclero- 

 carpa. 



GRTTMIXAMEIRA. One of the edible- 

 fruited Eugenias of Brazil. 



GRUMOUS. Divided into little clustered 

 grains ; as the fascula in the stem of the 

 sago palm. 



GRUVELIA. A genus of Boraginacece 

 from Chili, with the fruit as in Cynoglossnm, 

 but the corolla tubular, five-toothed at the 

 apex, and scarcely exceeding the calyx. It 

 has the habit of an Arenaria, and slender 

 leaves, the lower and middle ones opposite, 

 the upper alternate. [J. T. S.] 



GUABINOBA. The berries of certain 

 Brazilian species of Psidium. 



GUACO. Aristolochia Guaco. Besides this, 

 which is the true Guaco, Mikania Guaco 

 and Aristolochia anguicida have had the 

 reputation of yielding this South Ame- 

 rican alexipharmic. — , MEXICAN. A 

 poison obtained from a species of Convol- 

 vulus. 



GUAIACUM. A genus of Zygopliyllacece, 

 consisting of West Indian and South Ame- 

 rican trees, noted for the resin which 

 they secrete, and the extreme hardness of 

 their wood. They have pinnate leaves and 

 blue flowers, which have a calyx of five 

 unequal segments, five stalked petals, ten 

 stamens, and a stalked five-celled five- 

 angled capsule, sometimes by abortion 

 two to three-celled. 



G. officinale is an ornamental tree with 

 pretty blue flowers. Its trunk yields the 

 greenish-brown hard heavy wood, called 

 by turners lignum vita, which is used for 

 blocks and pulleys, rulers, skittle-balls, 

 and other purposes where hardness is re- 

 quired and weight is not an objection ; the 

 logs are imported from Jamaica. As is 

 also the case with the laburnum, there is 

 great difference in the colour of the old or 

 heart wood and that of the young or sap 

 wood, which is of a light yellow colour. 

 The fibres of this wood are cross-grained. 

 The resin, commonly called gum guaiacum, 

 exudes from the stem, and is also obtained 



hy jagging or notching the stem and allow- 

 ing the exuding juice to harden ; or by 

 boring holes in logs of the wood and then 

 placing them on a fire, so that the resin is 

 melted and runs, through the hole into a 

 calabash put to receive it ; or in small quan- 

 tities by boiling the chips in salt and 

 water, when the resin floats on the top 

 and may be removed. Guaiacum is greenish- 

 brown, with a balsamic fragrance, and is 

 remarkable for the changes of colour which 

 it undergoes when brought into contact 

 with various substances. Gluten gives it 

 a blue tint, and hence guaiacum has been 

 proposed as a test of the goodness of 



Guaiacum officinale. 



wheaten bread, which contains gluten. 

 Gum arabic, milk, various roots, &c, as 

 those of the carrot, potato, colchicum, and 

 horseradish, possess a similar property. 

 Nitric acid and chlorine change guaiacum 

 successively to green, blue, and brown. 

 These changes in colour are said to be due 

 to the absorption of oxygen by guaiacic 

 acid, the active principle of guaiacum. 

 The resin, as well as the bark and wood, 

 are used medicinally as stimulants in 

 chronic rheumatism, skin diseases, and 

 other complaints. G. sanctum is used for 

 like purposes in the West Indies, where 

 also the leaves are used as a substitute 

 for soap, having strong detersive pro- 

 perties. [M. T. MJ 



GDAIABARA. Coccoloba uvifera. 



GUAIAVA. Psidium. 



GUALLAGA. A West Indian name for 

 Zamia media. 



GUANDEE. Cajanus indicus. 



GUAO. A West Indian name for Como- 

 cladia dentata. 



GUARANA. A substance prepared in 

 South America from the seeds of Paullinia 

 sorbilis, which are pounded into a paste 

 called guarana bread, and hardened in the 

 sun. It is used as a remedy for various 

 diseases, as well as to form a most refresh- 

 ing beverage. 



GUARANENE. A white crystalline 



