912 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
Paritium tiliaceum. EMAJAGUA. PuatTe L. | 
A large shrub or small tree widely distributed throughout the warm regions of 
the Old and New worlds. It was in use throughout tropical America before the 
advent of Europeans, and is still one of the most important fiber plants for local 
and domestic uses. The bast furnishes a strong and flexible fiber, comparable to 
jute, and having the remarkable quality of becoming stronger by long macera- 
tion in water. Although this has been known for many years, and although the 
plant would grow readily and without cultivation in moist waste tracts common 
along the coasts of many tropical countries, there seems to have been no serious 
attempt at introducing the fiber to commerce or adapting it to civilized uses. 
The oft-quoted experiment of Roxburgh, as reported by Watt, is as follows: 
‘*A line broke when white with a weight of 41 pounds; after being tanned, with 
62 pounds, and after having been tarred, with 61 pounds. A similar line macerated 
in water for one hundred and sixteen days broke when white with 40 pounds; 
tanned, 55 pounds, and tarred, 70 pounds. These observations are of great inter- 
est, for of the other fibers experimented with by Roxburgh, the majority were 
rotten after maceration, and no other fiber showed so marked an improvement 
for cordage purposes when tarred. English hemp and Indian grown hemp, 
treated in the same manner, were found to be rotten, and sunn-hemp broke with 
65 pounds and jute with 60 pounds. The power of endurance under water is, 
therefore, a point of great importance. 
‘‘The fiber is readily separated from the green or unsteeped branches, the work 
of preparation being less tedious than applies to the other fiber-yielding plants of 
this genus. It appears to be well adapted for making ropes, mats, and possibly 
paper (Cameron). The fiber seems highly suitable for the paper trade, and 
immense quantities of it might be conveyed in boats to the paper mills of Bengal.”’ 
The last suggestion of paper making would seem to be worthy of investigation 
by our manufacturers in view of the increasing scarcity of raw materials for a 
product of good quality. Emajagua could be produced with extreme cheapness. 
Replanting would not be necessary, as sprouts come up abundantly from the 
stumps. Cultivation could be carried on after the manner of the basket osiers. 
In Porto Rico nearly all the ropes in use are made from emajagua. 
Recommended in Jamaica by Dr. Morris for windbreaks about cacao plantations. 
Also called ‘*‘ Majagua.”’ 
Parkinsonia aculeata. JERUSALEM THORN. PALO DE RAYO. 
A leguminous tree related to the Haematoxylon or logwood. It is supposed to 
be native in some parts of the American continent, but is now so generally culti- 
vated that the original habitat isin doubt. (Stahl, 3: 119.) 
Parra cimarrona. See Vitis caribaea. 
Parthenium hysterophorus. AJENJO CIMARRON. 
An herbaceous annual composite, found in sandy places. In Jamaica this plant 
is called *‘ mugwort’’ and Lunan gives a number of cases in which it was sup- 
posed to have curative value in healing different kinds of eruptive diseases. 
(Stahl, 5: 157.) 
Pascueta. See Hrigeron canadensis. 
Pascueta amarilla. See Hrigeron rivularis. 
Passifiora angustifolia. See Passiflora suberosa. 
Passifiora foetida. TAGUA-TAGUA. 
Family Passifloraceae; a shrubby vine found along roadsides. It has a disagree- 
able odor, but the flowers are beautiful and the fruit edible; called ‘‘ love ina 
mist’? in Jamaica. (Stahl, 4: 144.) 
Passiflora hederaceae. See Passiflora suberosa. 
Passiflora hirsuta. See Pussiflora suberosa. 
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