72 
LONG-LEAVED CALABASH TREE. 
Obs. p. 234. Linn. Sp. pi. Willd. vol. 5, p. 311. Laefling’s Iter, 
p. 225. Jacq. Amer. p. 175. t. 111. 
C. arbor escens, foliis confertis obovato-oblongis basi angustioribus , fructu 
sphcxrico maximo. Browne, Jam. p. 265. 
Cujete foliis oblongis et angustis , magno fructu ovato . Plumier, Gen. 
23, ic. 109. Pigo, Brazil, p. 173. 
Arbor americana cucurbitifera , folio longo mucronato , fructu oblongo. 
Commel. Hort. Amst. vol. 1, p. 137, t. 71. 
This species attains the ordinary height of a pear tree, 
being 20 to 25 feet high, and about a feet in diameter, with 
the trunk crooked and dividing with great regularity at the 
top into numerous, long, thick, almost horizontal branches. 
It is indigenous to the Antilles, New Spain, Guiana and 
Brazil, and has also been recently found at Key West by 
Dr. Blodgett. The wood of this species is said to be white, 
hard and susceptible of a polish. In the countries it inhabits 
it is commonly employed for saddle-trees, stools, chairs and 
other articles of furniture. The fruit varies in form and 
size from ovoid to round, and is from 2 inches to a foot in 
diameter; it is covered with a thin, even, smooth skin of a 
greenish-yellow, and under this there is a hard and ligneous 
shell, which contains a soft yellowish pulp of an acrid and 
disagreeable taste, which is, however, considered as a good 
remedy in a great number of diseases and accidents, being 
employed for dropsy, diarrhoea, and inflammations of the 
chest;, applied externally it is thought serviceable in bruises, 
burns and head-aches. Cattle occasionally feed on the fallen 
fruit, as did the Indians in time of scarcity. In an unripe 
state it is also candied with sugar. The Indians made use 
of them when hollowed out for rattle-boxes in their noisy 
superstitious ceremonies, in the same manner as our 
northern aborigines used the calabash for the same pur- 
pose. Alvaro Nunez speaks of their being thus employed 
in Florida. Hughes remarks that the fruit smells like wine 
and that the juice is even relished by some as a beverage. 
