- 45 - 
medicine soon becane popular in Europe, The name of the negro 
has been perpetiiatod in the generic title of the plant. But 
the quassia of Svrinam is now comparatively little used, having 
been superseded by the product of Hcrasca excel sa from the 
West Indies, 
A lofty tree, soEe times a-tainin^ a height of 100 feet or 
more, rith straight, smooth tapering trunk, often 3 feet in 
diameter near the base, with smooth gray bark. Leaves pinnate 
with naked petiole and oblong pointed leaflets standing upon 
short footstalks, in opposite pairs, with a single leaflet at 
the end. Flowers are small, yellowish green, disposed in 
panicles, polygamous, and pcntandrous, Pruit a small bJ.ack drupe. 
Longitudinal section of this wood exhibits elongated cells 
containing sii^le cryotale." of calcium oxalate. Transverse 
section exhibits nedullary rc;/s, mostly 2 or 3 cells in width. 
This species inhabits Jamaica and the Caribbean Islands, whgre 
it is called bitter ash. 
Quassia anara , or bitter quassia, is a small branching 
tree or shrub, with rltcrnate Icajves consisting of 2 pairs of 
opposite pinnae with an odd one at the end. Leaflets elliptical., 
pointed, sessile, smooth, of a deep-green color on upper surfa,cc, 
and paler on under surface. Comnon footstrJLk is articulated 
and ".vinged, ?lov/ors are h-^.rnaphrodite and decandrous, bright 
red, and terminate the branches in long racemes, Fruit is a 
2-celled capsule containing globular seeds. Is a native of 
Surinam aJid is found in Brazil, Guiana, Colombia, iPanama, and 
the West Indies, as also in some tropical countries of the Old 
World, The root, bark, and wood are intensely bitter. 
Quassia is at first whitish, but becomes yellow qj,'- exposure 
and sometimes has blackish spots or markings, due to the presence 
of the myceli-um of a. fungus, Jamaica quassia occurs usually in 
chips, raspings, or billets; Surinaxi quassia usually in billets, 
A medicine was formerly obtained from Quassia rmara , but 
more than 20 years ago Lamarck stated that because of the 
scarcity of this tree Q,, excels a had been resorted to as a 
substitute (pp. 907-9 OQT. 
WOOWILLS, W. (125) 
MEDICAL BOTiJY. 5 v, London, 1832. 
Under order XXZII, GiTLinales (v. 5, pp. 60-62), 
Quassia excelsa , lofty or r.sii-leaved quassia, is discussed. 
"Synonyma. Quaasia excel sa, &vart2 in Stockh, Trajas. 
for 1738, p, 302, t. 8; Prodr. Ind. Occid. v. 2, 742; 
