io8 ^ Treatise on 
Guaiacum was formerly in the Shops diHinguifb- 
ed into many Kinds. L. Oviedo calls one Kind Guai- 
acum vulgar e , and another Lignum fanlfum. Cafpar . 
Bauhine reckons three Kinds, i . Guaiacum magnd 
watrice , C. B. P. Guaiacan , Lignum Indicum ex In- 
fuld S. Dominici, Monard. 2. Guaiacum propemodum 
Jme matrice. C. B. P. Guaiacan gems alter urn ^ quod 
lignum fan 51 urn , illo praftantius^ et ex in fuld S. Jo- 
annis de portu divite afferiur , quo maxime utuntur , 
Monard. Of this many Species have been taken 
Notice of, which differ in nothing but Colour, 
Size, and Weight, being all taken from the fame 
Tree ; only that the Wood is whiter the younger 
the Tree is, becoming darker and heavier as the 
Tree grows old. 3. Guaiacum foliis Lentifci , C. 
B. P. Clufius , in his Notes upon Monardus , has 
given the Figure of a Branch of this laH with the 
Flowers and Fruit upon it. But thefe feveral 
Trees feern to make one Genus only, which we may 
diflinguifh indeed into many Species from the Di- 
verfity of their Fruit ; but whatever Difference 
befides may be obferved, it will be found too tri- 
vial to conffitute a di Hindi Genus. At leaft Father 
Plumier , De novis plantarum Americanarum generi- 
bus , makes one Genus of Guaiacum and no more, 
which he defines thus. It is (fays he) a Kind of 
Plant (or rather Tree) with a Flower like a Rofe, 
that is, confiding of many Petala Handing in a 
round Compafs. From the Calyx arifes a PiHil, 
which changes afterwards into a fiefliy, roundifh 
Fruit, containing a Stone or Stones of an oval 
Figure, and covered with a foft Pulp. He reck- 
ons two Species of it, which he defcribes in his ma- 
nufcript Hiftory of American Plants. 
1. Guaiacum flore cceruleo^ frullu fubrotundo , Plum, 
nov. gen. 39. Guaiacum tetraphyllum fruftu fingulari , 
Ejufdem hift. MS. 86. Pruno vel Evonymo ajjinis ar-r 
bor y 
