84 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
Arenga saccharifera. GOMATU. 
An East India palm cultivated in Jamaica, but not known to have been intro- 
duced into Porto Rico. Called ‘‘cabo negro”’ in the Philippines. 
Argemone mexicana. CARDOSANTO. 
Family Papaveraceae; an herb, native of Mexico. The seeds possess acrid, 
narcotic, and purgative properties, and are employed as a substitute for ipeca- 
cuanha. The yellow juice of the plant is said to be used in ophthalmia. (Stahl. 
2: 33.) : 
Argithamnia candicans. 
Family Euphorbiaceae; from Guanica. 
Argithamnia fasciculata. 
From Guanica (Sintenis). 
Aristolochia oblongata. 
Family Aristolochiaceae; this and other species of Aristolochia are twining 
vines, with very peculiar pipe-shaped flowers. There are numerous species in the 
West Indies and probably several will be found in Porto Rico. ‘*Contrayerva”’ 
is given as local name for this genus by Grisebach. 
Arnotta. See Bixa orellana. 
A name used in some of the British Islands. Anatto is the preferable form. 
Aroma. See Lasianthus lanceolatus. 
Aromo. See Acacia farnesiana. 
At Coamo Springs this name was used for Cleome spinosa, but near Ponce the 
more correct application was made. 
Arrabidaea chica. 
A bignoniaceous shrub, with large, flat, leathery pods; the variety thyrsoidea 
has been collected on calcareous mountains near Bayamon. 
Arracacha. See Arracacia esculenta. 
Arracacia esculenta. ARRACACHA. 
An umbelliferous garden vegetable presumably introduced from Venezuela by 
the Spanish refugees, who also brought the culture of cacao. The *‘ arracacha”’ 
seems to be grown somewhat extensively in the mountains behind Ponce, where 
large quantities appeared in the market. It requires a very equable climate, and 
will not endure extremes either of heat or cold. As its botanical affinity might 
indicate, the flavor suggests that of the carrot or parsnip, but it is said to be 
superior to either, and some Europeans become very fond of it. 
In Venezuela and Colombia the culture of ‘‘arracacha”’’ has been long an 
industry of considerable importance, and attempts have been made to introduce 
it into Europe. but without success. The following account of the Venezuelan 
culture is by Mr. David G. Fairchild, agricultural explorer of this Department, 
who visited Venezuela in 1898. 
‘The culture of the native ‘apio’ in Venezuela is an extensive one. ‘There is 
no question that it competes with the potato for a place as the most important 
food plant among the peones of the interior elevated regions. It is also highly 
esteemed by the Europeans living in Venezuela, and is met with on the hotel tables 
as a constituent of certain vegetable soups. resembling somewhat carrots and 
passing as such among the less observant. I consider it very much superior to 
carrots. In general it is served boiled, precisely as parsnips are treated. So-called 
bunuelos or fritters are prepared from the grated roots by frying them in lard. 
Cut in thin slices and fried it is delicious, and as a souffle it is said to be unexcelled. 
**The culture of this vegetable is confined to the higher altitudes, where the 
mean annual temperature is 58 to 60 degrees F., the ‘tierra fria’ of the Vene- 
zuelans, and carried on on a small scale by the peones, small cultivators and 




