NAT. ORDER. LOMENTACE^E. 
27 
separated, as to be found under the germen ; the corolla consists 
of five white petals, four of which are narrow, equal, lanceolate, 
and larger than the calyx ; the fifth reflexed, broad, and more than 
double the size of the others ; the stamens are inclined, and in- 
serted into the calyx, bearing elongated, sharp-pointed, sulcated 
anthers ; the germen is oblong, pedicellated ; the style is short, 
subulate, crooked, and crowned with a simple stigma ; the peri- 
carp is of a straw color, club-shaped, somewhat curved and pen- 
dulous, globular near the top, and terminated by the curved style ; 
the cell, which forms the curved part, contains a single seed, which 
is crescent-shaped, and projects from the cell. 
The Peruvian Balsam-tree is a native of South America, in- 
habiting the warmer regions of that continent, growing on the 
mountains of Panatalmas, in the forests of Paxaten, Muna, Cuchero, 
and Puzuzu, and in some of the warm situations near the river 
Maranon ; flowering from August to September. This tree was 
first discovered by Mutis, about the year 1781, who sent a speci- 
men of it, both in fruit and flower, to the younger Linnaeus. The 
natives inhabiting the countries where this tree grows, call it 
Quinquino : they use the bark as perfume. The Peruvian Balsam, 
and the Balsam of Tolu, are both the product of this tree : — for- 
merly, it was supposed that the latter balsam was the product of a 
different tree from that which yields the former ; but it has been 
ascertained that both balsams are the product of the Myroxylon 
Peruiferum. We are also credibly informed that the balsam is pro- 
cured by incision at the beginning of the spring, when the showers 
are frequent, short, and gentle : it is collected into bottles, where 
it keeps liquid for some years, in which state it is called white 
liquid halsam. But when the Indians deposite the liquid in mats 
or calabashes, which is generally done in Carthagena and in the 
mountains of Tolu, after some time it condenses and hardens into 
resin, and is then denominated dry white balsam, or balsam of Tolu, 
by which name it is distinguished in the druggists' shops. M. Val- 
