368 DICTIONARY OF POPULAE NAMES SAPXJCAIA 



dyeing. Its root also gives a yellow dye. In India the wood 

 is known by tlie names of Bukkum or Wukkiim. 



Sapucaia Nut, in Brazil the name of the nuts of Lecythis 

 Zahucajo and i. Ollaria, large trees of the Monkey-pot family 

 (Lecytliidacese), natives of forests in the region of the Amazon ; 

 they have large urn -shaped fruits of a hard woody texture, 

 about 6 inches in diameter, with lids measuring about 2 inches 

 across ; when ripe the lid separates from the capsule, emitting 

 a sharp sound, which when heard by the monkeys is a signal 

 that the nuts are falling and a scramble and fight to be the first 

 to obtain them ensues; on this account few are left for the 

 trader, and the export is consequently small. The common 

 name of Monkey-pot is applied to the capsule when empty. 



SarcocoUa {Penea Sarcocolla), a shrub of the Sarcocol family 

 (Penseacese). There are about 20 species, native of South 

 Aftica, P, SarcocoUa being a shrub with small, closely-imbricate, 

 compact leaves. The flowers are red, produced in a compact 

 oblong head. The plant produces the gum called Gum Sar- 

 cocol; but there is no evidence to prove that it is the Sarcocol 

 of the ancients, so famed for healing wounds. 



Sarsaparilla, a Spanish name for the roots of certain plants, 

 more especially for the cord-like roots of several species of 

 Smilar, the typical genus of the Sarsaparilla family (Smilace^e) ; 

 it consists of a considerable number of species, generally slender, 

 bushy, or climbing, with woody stems, rambling over bushes like 

 brambles. Their leaves are alternate, varying from nearly 

 round to elliptical, lanceolate, entire, smooth, and shiny. The 

 flowers are inconspicuous, and the fruit is a berry. The species 

 are widely dispersed over both hemispheres ; from their roots 

 is obtained the drug termed Sarsaparilla; it is considered 

 to be of high repute as a restorative medicine in complaints 

 arising from poorness of blood. The roots are imported in 

 various-sized bundles ; the quality varies according to the species 

 and country from whence it comes. The principal imports are 

 from the West Indies, Brazil, and other parts of tropical America; 

 that from Jamaica is supposed to be the roots of S. officinalis, 



