Descriptions of Malayan Plants, 177 



the inner angle. *S^^2^/^ crowning the lobes of the ovary, from 

 one to three, according to the number of perfect ovaries or 

 lobes, shorter than the stamina. Stigmata obtuse. Berry 

 as large as a fresh walnut, reniform or somewhat spheroidal, 

 but rather irregular in shape, generally furrowed on one side ; 

 the rind is rough and brownish, of a spongy texture, often 

 exhibiting on the surface the appearance of various veins, 

 and when cut, exudes an acrid juice ; it contains a single 

 seed, similar in form to the fruit, and equally abounding with 

 a corrosive gum or resin. Embryo exalbuminous, erect. 

 Cotyledons united, having a fissure on one side ; radicle at 

 the base of the fruit, short, incurved upon the cotyledons 

 at the lower part of the fissure. 



Obs, — The wood of this tree is of a fine dark colour to- 

 wards the centre, and lighter coloured near the circumference. 

 The bark exudes a resin which is extremely acrid, and, 

 apphed to the skin, causes excoriation and blisters. The 

 people consider it dangerous to handle any part of the tree, 

 and even to sit or sleep under its shade. This resin, on ex- 

 posure to the air, soon assumes a black colour, and becomes 

 hard ; it is collected and employed as a varnish, and sells for 

 this purpose at a high price. According to Rumphius, it is 

 the tree which yields the so-much celebrated Japan lacquer 

 or varnish, and he considers it the same with that of Siam 

 and Tonquin. Loureiro, however, who had better oppor- 

 tunities of observing the latter, represents the varnish of 

 those countries as the produce of a different tree, which he 

 has described under the name of Augia, The varnish of 

 Siam and Cochin China is probably the best; but that of 

 Celebes and Java, which is the produce of this tree, is also 

 employed for the same purposes, and cannot be much infe- 

 rior, since it bears as high a price, and according to Rum- 

 phius, higher. The process of obtaining and using it is thus 

 given by Rumphius : — " The exhalations of this tree are 

 considered noxious, and the people of Macassar and other 



