650 
Class XVIII. 
Class XVIII. _ POL YADELPHI A. Stamens united into several parcels. 
0\E of the smallest of the Linnean classes, characterized by the cohesion of the filaments in several parcels. 
It almost wholly consists of plants remarkable either for their beauty or importance otherwise. From the 
Theobroma the nutritious substance which forms the basis of Chocolate is procured. Melaleuca and its allies 
are among the most elegant of New Holland plants. The genus Symplocos contains a plant useful as a dye. 
To Citrus belong the Orange, Lemon, Lime, and all their delicious varieties ; and the Loasa, with which the 
class is here concluded, consists of some of the most ornamental and curious of our garden annuals. 
By some botanists this class is distributed among others, especially Icosandria and Polyandria. 
Order 1. DECANDRIA. ^^^^ Stamens 10 or 12. 
1607. Theobroma. Cal. 5-leaved. Petals 5, fornicate. Nectary urceolate, with 5 horns. Filaments 5, each 
with 2 anthers. Style filiform. Stigma 5-parted. Caps. S-celled, without valves. Seeds in a buttery pulp. 
1608. Bubroma. Cal. 3-leaved. Petals 5, 2-horned. Nect. campanulate, S-fid. Filam. 5, attached to the 
outside of nectary ; each with 3 anthers. Style simple. Capsule woody, warted, valveless, bored with 12 rows 
of holes. 
DECANDRIA. 
1607. THEOBRO'MA. W. Chocolate Nut. Byttneriacece. Sp. 2—5. 
10933 Cacao fV. smooth-leaved f □ clt 16 ... Br S. Amer. 1739. C r.m Bot.cab.545 
10934 guianensis W. woolly-leaved i □ or 16 ... Br Guiana 1803. C r.m Aub. gui.2.t.275 
1608. BUBRO'MA. W. Bastard Cedar. Byttneriacece. Sp. 1—3. 
10935 Guazuma IV Elm-leaved 1 □ tm 40 au.s Y Jamaica 1739. C p.l Trew. ehret.t.76 
1609. ABRO'MA. W. Abroma. Byttneriacece. Sp. 2—3. 
10936 augusta H. K. smooth-stalked 5 O or 10 au Pu E. Indies 1770. C l.p Jac. vind. 3. 1. 1 
10937 fastuosa H. K. prickly-stalked i □ or 10 jn.o Pu N. S. W. 1800. C l.p Par. lond. 102 
History, Use, Propagafion, Culture, 
1607. Theobroma. From 0w, God, and /3|it)^«, food, in allusion to the excellent nature of its produce. The 
Mexicans call the beverage obtained from it Chocolatl. {Nieremb.) T. Cacao is a tree which grows in a very 
handsome form to the height of twelve or sixteen feet ; the trunk is upright, and about as high as a man 
before the head spreads out; the wood is light and of a white color ; the bark brownish. Leaves lanceolate- 
oblong, bright green, quite entire ; flowers small, reddish, inodorous. Fruits smooth, yellow, red, or of both 
coloi-s, about three inches in diameter : rind fleshy, near half an inch in thickness, flesh-colored within : pulp 
whitish, the consistence of butter, separating from the rind in a state of ripeness, and adhering to it only by 
filaments, which penetrate it and reach to the seeds. Hence it is known when the seeds are ripe, by the 
rattling of the capsule when it is shaken. 'Jhe pulp has a sweet and not unpleasant taste, with a slight 
acidity ; it is sucked and eaten raw by the natives. The seeds are about twenty-five in number : when fresh 
they are of a flesh-color: gathered before they are ripe, they preserve them in sugar, and thus they are very 
grateful to the palate : they quickly lose their power of vegetation, if taken out of the capsule ; but kept in it, 
they preserve that power for a long time. The tree bears leaves, flowers, and fruit all the year through ; but 
the usual seasons for gathering the fruit are June and December. In two years from the seed it is above three 
feet high, and spreads its branches, not more than five of which are suffered to remain : before its third year 
is complete it shows for fruit. A tree yields from twc to three pounds of seeds annually. These seeds are 
remarkably nourishing, and agreeable to most people ; which occasions them to be commonly kept in most 
houses in America, as a necessary part of the provisions of the family : they are generally ground or pounded 
very fine, a little arnatto added, and made into paste : they are much charged with oil, but mix well with 
milk or water, and are formed into rolls of one pound each. 
This simple preparation of chocolate is the most natural and the best. It is in daily use amongst most 
