77 



OIL TREE. 



Prioria copaifera, Griseb. 

 Grisebach, in bis Flora of the British West Indies, describes this tree 

 as a new genus, naming it after Dr. Alexander Prior, who possessed a 

 very large private herbarium of Jamaica plants, constantly referred to 

 in the Flora. 



The specimen from which the genus was described, was supplied by 

 Mr. Nathaniel Wilson , Island Botanist, who found it growing at Bachelor's 

 Hall near Bath. 



Mr. Wm. Harris in a collecting tour which he made sometime ago 

 round the east end of the Island, found it at Mansfield, the property of 

 Mr. A. H. Groves, and in his report thus describes it : — 



" At Mansfield, near Bath we found large trees Prioria copaifera. 

 " The trees were in flower at the time of our visit, and to procure spe- 

 cimens a monster over 80 feet high with a girth measurement of 

 " about 20 feet near the base had to be felled. This tree proved to be 

 " hollow for a good way up the trunk. It is known as the " oil tree" 

 "in the Bath district. When tapped at certain seasons of the year, it 

 " is said to yield a copious supply of an oleo-resinous inflammable juice, 

 " which was formerly used by the negroes for burning in lamps, but 

 " it emits a very disagreeable odour." 



Mr. Groves was kind enough get some of the " oil" for me which 

 was sent to Prof. Trimble, and the following preliminary report on it 

 has been received :— - 



Report on an Exudation from Prioria copaifera, Griseb., 

 By Henry Trimble, Philadelphia. 



The sample as received from Mr. Fawcett, was a thick, adhesive 

 liquid resembling copaiba in appearance. Upon standing it separated 

 into two layers ; when thoroughly mixed it became turbid on account of 

 a greenish substance which it held in suspension ; on the subsidence of 

 this greenish substance, the upper layer, which constituted by far the 

 greater part of the sample, became clear and of a brownish yellow 

 eolour. 



The material had no pronounced odour, but it imparted a fatty taste 

 at first, which gradually became acid. It did not behave like a gum 

 resin when masticated. In thin layers it was transparent with a pale 

 straw-yellow colour. On exposure to air it dried superficially with a 

 decrease of adhesiveness. 



On carefully igniting a portion of the sample it yielded . 075 per 

 cent, of ash, consisting of calcium carbonate and sulphate with traces of 

 the corresponding magnesium and potassium salts. The combustion was 

 attended with the production of a very sooty flame. 



The original material was found to be readily soluble in absolute 

 aleohol, ether, chloroform, carbon disulphidc, petroleum ether, amyl ac- 

 etate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate amyl alcohol, benzol, toluol, ni- 

 trobenzol, aniline, acetone, phenol, oil of turpentine, cotton seed oil 

 (therefore probably fixed oils in general), glacial acetic acid and oil of 

 camphor. Alcohol of specific gravity . 820 did not completely dissolve 

 it. The portion left undissolved appeared to be the substance causing 

 the turbidity of the sample. Absolute alcohol and choroform 

 dissolve this residue. The solution in alcohol sp. gr. 0.820, had a 



