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time used by singers, who imagined that they softened and cleared the 
voice. 
CERBERA THERETIA.—The name is intended to imply that the plant 
is as dangerous as Cerberus. The plant has a milky, poisonous juice. 
_ The bark is purgative; the unripe fruit is used by the natives of Trayv- 
ancore to destroy dogs; their teeth become loosened and fall out. 
CEREUS GIGANTEA.—The Suwarrow of the Mexicans; is a native of 
the hot, arid, and alinost desert regions of New Mexico, found growing 
in rocky places, in valleys, and on mountain sides, often springing out 
of mere crevices in hard rock, and imparting a singular aspect to the 
scenery of the country, its tall stems often reaching forty feet in height, 
with upright branches looking like telegraphic posts for signaling from 
point to point of the rocky mountains. The fruits are about two or 
three inches long, of a green color and oval form; when ripe they burst 
into three or four pieces, which curve back so as to resemble a flower. 
Inside they contain numerons little black seeds, imbedded in a crimson- 
colored pulp, which the Indians make into a preserve. They also eat 
the ripe fruit as an article of food. 
CEREUS MAcDoONALDIa.—A night-blooming Cereus, and one of the 
most beautiful. The flowers when fully expanded are over a foot in 
diameter, having numerous radiating red and bright orange sepals and 
delicately white petals. It is a native of Honduras. 
CEROXYLON ANDICOLA.—The Wax Palm of New Grenada; was first 
deseribed by Humboldt and Bonpland, who found it on elevated mount- 
ains, extending as high as the lower limit of perpetual snow. Its tall 
trunk is covered with a thin coating of a whitish waxy substance, giv- 
ing ita marbled appearance. The waxy substance forms an article of 
commerce, and is obtained by scraping the trunk. It consists of two 
‘parts of resin and one of wax, and, when mixed with one-third of tal- 
low, it makes very good candles. The stem is used for building pur- 
poses, and the leaves for thatching roofs. 
CHAMADOREA ELEGANS.—This belongs to a genus of Palms natives 
of South America. The plant is of tall, slender growth; the stems are 
used for walking-canes, and the young, unexpanded flower-spikes are 
used as a vegetable. 
CHAMA&ROPS FortTuNU.—This Palm is a native of the north of China, 
and is hardy here. In China, the coarse brown fiber obtained from the 
leaves is used for making hats and also the garments called So-e, worn 
in wet weather. 
CHAMZROPS HUMILIS.—This is the only European species of Palm, 
and does not extend further north than Nice. The leaves are commonly 
used in the south of Europe for making hats, brooms, baskets, We. 
From the leaf-fiber a material resembling horse-hair is prepared, and 
the Arabs mix it with camel’s hair for their tent-covers. 
CHEIROSTEMON PLATONOIDES.—The Hand-Flower tree, or Macpaixo- 
chitlquahuiti of the Mexicans. It derives its popular name from the 
circumstance that the stamens, which are of a bright red color, are 
united together for a length of four inches, when they separate into 
five curved claw-like rays, and thus bearsome resemblance to the human 
hand. 
CHLORANTHUS OFFICINALIS.—The roots of this plant are an aromatic 
stimulant, much used as medicine in the island of Java; also, when 
mixed with anise, it has proved valuable in malignant small-pox. - 
CHLOROXYLON SWIETENIA.—The Satin. Wood tree of tropical coun- 
tries. Itis prneipally used for making the backs of clothes and hair 
