38 



329. Parkinson i a aculeata. — This Leguminous plant iscalled Jerusalem Thorn. 



Although a native of Southern Texas and Mexico, it is found in many trop- 

 ical countries, and is frequently used for making hedges. Indians in Mex- 

 ico employ it as a fehrifuge and sudorific and also as a remedy for epilepsy. 



330. Parmentiera cereifera. — In the Isthmus of Panama this plant is termed 



the Candle tree, because its fruits, often 4 feet long, look like yellow ran- 

 dies suspended from the branches. They have a peculiar, apple-like smell, 

 and cattle that partake of the leaves or fruit ha\ e the smell communicated 

 to the beef if killed immediately. 



881. Passiflora quadrangularis. — The fruit of this plant is the Granadilla of the 

 tropics. The pulp has an agreeable though rather mawkish taste. The 

 root is said to possess narcotic properties, and is used in the Mauritius as an 

 emetic. 



332. Paullinia sorbilis. — The seeds of this climbing sapindaceous plant furnish 



the famous guarana of the Amazon and its principal tributaries. The ripe 

 seeds, when thoroughly dried, are pounded into a fine powder, which made 

 into dough with water, is formed into cylindrical rolls, from 5 to 8 inches 

 long, becoming very hard when dry. It is used as a beverage, which is 

 prepared by grating about half ateaspoonful of one of the cakes into about 

 a teacup of water. It is much used by Brazilian miners, and is considered 

 a preventive of all manner of diseases. It is also used by travelers, who 

 supply themselves with it previous to undertaking lengthy or fatiguing 

 journeys. Its active principle is identical with theine, of which it contains 

 a larger quantity than exists in any other known plant, being more than 

 double that contained in the best black tea. 



333. Pavetta borbonica. — This belongs to the quinine family. The roots are bit- 



ter, and are employed as a purgative ; the leaves are also used medicinally. 



334. Pedilanthus tithymaloides. — This euphorbiaceous plant has an acrid, milky, 



bitter juice ; the root is emetic, and the dried branches are used medici- 

 nally. 



335. Pereskia aculeata. — The Barbadoes gooseberry, which belongs to the family 



Cactacece. It grows about 15 feet in height, and produces yellow-colored, 

 eatable, and pleasant-tasted fruit, which is used in the West Indies for 

 making preserves. 



336. Persea gratissdia. — The avocado or alligator pear, a common tree in the 



West Indies. The fruits are pear-shaped, covered with a brownish-green 

 or purple skin. They are highly esteemed where grown, but strangers 

 do not relish them. They contain a large quantity of firm pulp, possessing 

 a buttery or marrow-like taste, and are frequently called vegetable marrow. 

 They are usually eaten with spice, lime-juice, pepper, and salt. An abun- 

 dance of oil, for burning and for soap-making, may be obtained from the 

 pulp. The seeds yield a deep, indelible black juice, which is used for mark- 

 ing linen. 



337. Phcexix dactylifera. — The date palm, very extensively grown for its fruit, 



which affords the principal food for a large portion of the inhabitants of 

 Africa, Asia, and southern Europe, and likewise of the various domestic 

 animals— dogs, horses, and camels being alike partial to it. The tree 

 attains to a great age, and bears annually for two hundred years. The 

 huts of the poorer classes are constructed of the leaves: the fiber surround- 

 in.- the bases of their stalks is used for making ropes and coarse cloth: the 

 stalks are used for the manufacture of baskets, brooms, crates, walking 

 sticks, etc., and the wood for building substantial houses; the heart of 

 young leaves is eaten as a vegetable; the sap affords an intoxicating bev- 

 erage. It may be further mentioned that the date was, probably, the palm 

 which supplied the "branches of palm trees" mentioned by St. John 

 (xii, 13) as having been carried by "the people who went to meet Christ on 

 his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and from which Palm Sunday takes 

 its name. 



338. PHORMIDM TENAX. — This plant iscalled New Zealand flax, on account of the 



leaves containing a large quantity of strong, useful fiber, which is used by 

 the natives of that country for making strings, ropes, and articles of cloth- 

 ing. The plant could be grown in this climate, and would no doubt be 

 largely cultivated if some efficient mode of separating the fiber could be 

 discovered. 

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