IX. THE BREAD-FRUIT FAMILY. 279 
FAMILY IX. THE BREAD-FRUIT FAMILY. ARTOCARPE. 
Brown. 
This family consists, with a single exception, of trees and 
shrubs, with alternate, toothed, or lobed, or entire leaves, and 
milky juice. They are natives of tropical regions, two or three 
genera, Morus, Broussonétia and Maclura, being found towards 
the north, and a single species of Morus, as far as Canada. 
To this family belongs the famous Upas tree, Anéidris, of 
Java, which has long been considered the most deadly poison in 
the world. And here also, in strange companionship, are the 
Bread-fruit Tree, the Fig, the Mulberry, the Osage Orange, and 
the Fustic, a kind of mulberry whose wood furnishes the well- 
known yellow dye. The juice of all is remarkable for being 
milky, and contains a considerable portion of caoutchouc. It 
is, even in those that produce wholesome fruit, usually acrid 
and of a suspicious character, and sometimes poisonous. Yet 
here also we find the Palo di Vacca, the famous Cow-tree of 
South America, which yields a large supply of rich and whole- 
some milk; and the frmt of several of the plants, besides those 
already mentioned. are eatable. Many virtues are ascribed to 
the various kinds of fig. The Ficus religidsa, the Indian Fig, 
or Banyan tree of India, is justly looked upon as one of the sig- 
nal favors of Providence to tropical India, furnishing to the 
traveller a natural temple, thick shade, and refreshing fruit. 
This family is distinguished by having its fruit usually situ- 
ated on or within a fleshy receptacle, covered by numerous nuts 
or drupes,—rarely a single one,—enveloped by a fleshy or pulpy 
involucre, and forming a compound fruit, like many berries or 
fleshy fruits grown together. The name Artocarpee, was given 
by De Candolle to a section of the nettle family, to indicate the 
most important tree of this group, (the Artocarpus, literally 
bread-fruit,) and the fleshy character of the fruit. 
The genera that are found native or cultivated in this climate 
are Morus, Broussonétia, and Maclura. 'The only one native 
is.— 
