32 
JAMAICA DOGWOOD. 
well as of the neighbouring continent of America, 
having been observed by Humboldt and Bonpland in 
mountainous places in New Spain, between Acapulco 
and Mazatlan, and we have now to record it as a native 
of Key West, in East Florida, where it was collected by 
Dr. Blodgett. It becomes a tree of about 20 to 25 feet 
in height, not remarkable for the elegance of its form, 
the branches being straggling, but yet beautiful in the 
season of flowering, which is about April, when, with 
blossoms similar to our favourite White Locust, (Robinia 
pseudo-acacia ,) the whole summit of the tree is profusely 
loaded; they come out some time before the leaves, in 
numerous panicles or spreading clusters, of a whitish 
colour, mixed with purple; the uppermost petal or vexil- 
lum in the centre tinged with green. The vexillum, 
externally, as well as the calyx, is covered with a silky 
pubescence. The leaves are unequally pinnate, with 
about 5 leaflets, which are either broad ovate or obo- 
vate, and slightly acuminate, entire, and beneath, as 
well as the footstalk, more or less pubescent, particularly 
when young. The pod is large, stipitate and villous, 
with four broad undulated longitudinal wings. 
In Jamaica this is esteemed one of the best timber 
trees in the island; the wood is heavy, hard, and resi- 
nous, coarse, cross-grained, and of a light brown colour; 
it is very durable either in or out of water. It makes 
excellent piles for wharves; and the stakes soon form, 
in the tropical countries it inhabits, a good live fence. 
The bark of the trunk is very astringent: it cures the 
mange in dogs, and would probably answer well for the 
tanning of leather: it is best known, however, for its 
effects as a fish-poison, for which purpose it is pounded 
and mixed with the water in some deep part of a river 
or creek, when the water soon acquires a reddish shade, 
and in a few minutes the fish begin to rise to the sur- 
