THE TKUMPET- FLOWER FAMILY. 287 



qualities, but is held sacred bjtlie negroes in the performance 

 of their religious ceremonies. 



Parmentiera cereifera. A tree attaining the height of 20 

 feet, native of the forests of Panama ; it has trifoliate leaves, 

 and fruit from 3 to 4 feet in length, and about 1 inch in 

 diameter, of a yelloAvish colour, hanging from the tree so as to 

 present the appearance of wax-candles, and in such abundance 

 as to give the idea of a chandler's shop, whence it has received 

 the name of Candle Tree. They are greatly used as food 

 for cattle, which fatten on them, but imparts an apple-like 

 smell to the flesh. 



The Trumpet- Flower Family. 



(BlGNONIACEiE.) 



Trees or shrubs, often climbing, rarely frutlets, having 

 stems or young branches more or less compressed or angular. 

 Leaves opposite, simple or compound, often furnished, in the 

 American species, with claw-like tendrils. Flowers solitary, 

 or in terminal racemes or panicles. Calyx entire, 2-lipped or 

 spathe-like. Corolla tubular or bell-shaped, nearly regular 

 or curved, and somewhat 2-lipped. Stamens generally 5, 

 unequal in length, sometimes 3 sterile. Fruit a pod-like 

 2-valved capsule, round, oblong or long, flat or cylindrical, 

 containing numerous flat seeds, generally surrounded by a 

 membranous wing. 



Nearly 500 species constitute this family, many of which 

 are large trees, others climbers, entangling tropical forests, 

 their stems often looking like ropes and cables, and adding 

 great beauty to the scenery by brilliant clusters of trumpet- 

 shaped flowers. They are represented throughout tropical 

 and temperate America, Asia, Australia, and South Africa. 

 With the exception of a few held in repute in their respec- 

 tive countries for medicinal virtues, they possess but few 

 economic uses. Bigmnia Cliica, a creeper, is however of im- 

 portance, its leaves, when soaked in water, depositing a red 



