438 
VEGETATION OF 
remarkable for their curious fruits, which have lids, and 
are shaped like pots or cups, whence they are called 
“pot-trees.’’ Some of the smaller ones are called by 
the natives “ cuyas de macaco,” — monkeys’ calabashes. 
The next most important vegetable product of the 
Amazon district, is the Salsaparilha, the roots of 8milax 
syphilitica, and perhaps of other allied species. This 
plant appears to occur over the whole forest-district of 
the Amazon, from Venezuela to Bolivia, and from the 
Lower Amazon to Peru. It is not generally found near 
the great rivers, but far in the interior, on the banks of 
the small streams, and on dry rocky ground. It is prin- 
cipally dug up by the Indians, often by the most un- 
civilized tribes, and is the means of carrying on a con- 
siderable trade with them. 
The Brazilian nutmegs, produced by the Nectandrmi 
Tmliury, grow in the country between the Rio Negro 
and Japura. 
The Cumaru, or Tonquin-beans, are very abundant on 
the Upper Rio Negro, and are also found near Santarem 
on the Amazon. 
A highly odoriferous bark, called by the Portuguese 
“ Cravo de Maranhao ” (Cloves of Maranham), is pro- 
duced by a small tree growing only on one or two small 
tributaries of the Rio Negro. 
A peculiar transparent oil, with an odour of turpen- 
tine, called Sassafras by the Venezuelans, is abundantly 
obtained by tapping a tree, common on the Upper Rio 
Negro, whence it is exported to Barra, and used for 
mixing oil-colours. In the Lower Amazon, a bitter oil, 
called Andiroba, much used for lamps, is made from a 
forest fruit. 
