173 



the bano of Mariara the volador or gyrocarpus 

 The winged fruits of this large tree turn like a 

 fly-wheel, when they fall from their stalk. On 

 shaking the branches of the volador, we saw the 

 air filled with it's fruits, the simultaneous- fall 

 of which presents the most singular spectacle. 

 The two membranaceous and striated wings are 

 turned so as to meet the air, in falling, at an 

 angle of 45°. Fortunately the fruits we gathered 

 were at their maturity. We sent some to 

 Europe, and they have germinated in the gar- 

 dens of Berlin, Paris, and Malmaison. The 

 numerous plants of the volador, now found in 

 hot-houses, owe their origin to the only tree of 

 the kind found near Mariara. The geographical 

 distribution of the different species of gyrocarpus, 

 which Mr. Brown considers as a laurinea, is 

 very singular. Jacquin saw one species near 

 Carthagena in America*. This is the same 

 which we met with again in Mexico, near 

 Zumpango, on the road from Acapulco to the 

 capital -f-. Another species, that grows on the 



* Jacq., Hist. Amer., 1. 178, f. 80. This is the gyrocarpus 

 Jacquini of Gsertner (De Fruct., t. 97, vol. ii, p. 92), or 

 gyrocarpus americanus, Willd. 



+ The natives of Mexico called it qultlacocili. I saw some 

 of it's young leaves, with three and Hve lobes ; the full grown 

 leaves are in the form of a heart, and constantly with three 

 lobes. We never met with the volador in flower. Messrs, 

 Sesse and Mocino have drawings of it. 



