66 COFFEE 



small, deltoid, fimbriated bracteoles bearing 5 distinct, deltoid teeth; 

 calyx-margin extending beyond the calyculus. Stigma and anthers 

 exserted ; anthers 0.42 cm. long. Fruit drupaceous, oblong to obovate, 

 narrowed toward the base, with small caljrx scar; seeds narrowed 

 below, 4 layered endocarp, cells narrowed in the same direction ; 

 stone cells of testa are long, slender, strongly knotted; cell-walls 

 are remarkably and irregularly thickened; pores large, oblique. 



Diagnostic Characters of the Species: — Leaves differing in color 

 above and below; char, in form (See Plate) ; venation slender, grace- 

 ful. Small calyx scar. Fruit, seeds, and endocarp-cells narrowed 

 basally. Remarkable and irregular thickenings of testa cell-walls. 

 Pair small deltoid, fimbriated bracteoles subtending the calyx. 



Synonymy: — Coffea sylvestris Willd. in Roem. and Schult. Syst. 

 Veg. (1819) 201, No. 28. Coffea arabica L. var. /? Willd. Sp. PL 



I (1797) 974. 



Common Names : — Cafe marron in Bourbon ; cafe batard ; caffeyer 

 de Bourbon. 



Geographical Distribution : — Mauritius ; Bourbon ; Is. Madagascar. 

 In the high mountainous and forested regions. 



History : — Coffea mauritiana Lam. was discovered in Bourbon in 

 1 7 15. It is referred to as cafe marron. In French West Africa, 

 the seeds of Cassia occidentalism a coffee substitute, are designated 

 by the same term. C. mauritiana Lam. seeds give a bitter infusion. 

 This species and C. arabica L. have been crossed by Frappier and 

 Le Hery, and the resulting seed resembles the latter species. This 

 cross appeared in Java in 1876 under the name C. mauritiana and 

 has been treated by some authors as a variety of C. arabica L. C. 

 mauritiana Lam. seeds contain a very low percentage of caffeine, 

 only 0.07%. 



Use: — The seeds are used as an adulterant for the seeds of C. 

 arabica L. When taken alone, the beverage is said to be slightly 

 intoxicating. In view of its low caffeine-content, it is evident that 

 this report is exaggerated. 



Bibliography: — Lam. Encycl. i (1783) 550; Tabl. 2 (1792) ed. 1823, 

 t. 160 f. 2. — Willd. Sp. PL I (1797) 974. — Spreng. Syst. Veg. i (1825) 

 755.— DC. Prodr. 4 (1830) 499.— G. Don Gen. Hist. Dichlam. PL 3 

 (1834) 581.— Duchesne PL UtiL et Venen. (1836) 148.— Hiern in 

 Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, i (1876) 173. — Baker Fl. Maurit. Seych, 

 (1877) 152. — Courdemoy FL de Tile de la Reunion (1895) 506. — 



