'046  Notes  on  the  Joyote  of  Mexico.       { AmAJPXx87h7arm' 
ttube  widened  above  to  bell-shape,  the  throat  with  five  ovate  append- 
ages covered  with  white  hairs  ;  beneath  are  the  stamens  alternating 
with  the  lobes  of  the  corolla  ;  anthers  sessile  and  lanceolate,  opening 
with  two  lateral  fissures.  Ovaries  two,  united  at  the  basis  and  free 
above,  flat  on  the  face  and  convex  on  the  back,  unilocular  and  biovulate, 
united  on  top  by  a  fleshy  ring  with  five  incisions  alternating  with  the 
lobes  of  the  calyx.  The  stigma  is  black,  head-shaped,  with  ten  ribs 
at  the  base  and  a  bi-lobulate  conical  top.  The  ovules  are  amphitropous, 
sab-globular,  of  parietal  placentation,  equi-distant  between  the  base  and 
'top  of  the  ovary.  Drupe  ovoid-globular,  green,  with  a  large  crest 
about  the  middle,  extending  to  near  the  base,  but  more  prominent 
above,  and  with  a  slight  furrow,  and  terminating  in  two  small  nipples 
■on  each  side.  Epicarp  smooth  and  green  ;  mesocarp  greenish-white, 
•very  laticiferous  ;  endocarp  woody,  of  a  dirty  yellow  color,  and  the 
same  form  as  the  fruit,  provided  with  a  complete  woody  partition  in 
the  direction  of  its  small  diameter,  and  with  two  false  ones  in  the  other 
direction  ;  corresponding  with  the  latter  towards  the  apex  is  a  furrow, 
and  near  the  base  another  one,  corresponding  to  the  true  partition. 
Seeds  four,  commonly  two  abortive,  inserted  near  the  middle  of  the 
false  partitions,  on  the  margin  with  a  small  wing  ;  spermoderm  thin 
and  papery,  endopleura  distinct  and  reticulate.  Albumen  none,  radicle 
eccentric,  horizontal,  conic  and  short  ;  cotyledons  orbicular,  unequal 
and  oily,  the  internal  surface  transversely  wrinkled  ;  near  the  centre  in 
the  direction  of  the  radicle  a  prominent  crest  ;  flowers  in  July. 
Mr.  Berlandier  found,  near  Tampico,  a  variety  of  this  species,  to 
which  he  gives  the  name  of  glabra,  because  it  has  smooth  leaves.  We 
Slave  also  the  Thevetia  ovata,  D.  C,  which  is  readily  distinguished  by 
its  ovate-elliptic  leaves,  white-tomentose  on  the  under  surface.  Some- 
what westward  the  Thevetia  cuneifolia  is  found  ;  its  flowers  are  called 
Meriendita.  The  variety  anclieuxi  is  found  about  Tonatepec.  All 
these  species  and  varieties  are  commonly  known  only  by  the  vulgar 
name  given  above,  but  in  the  State  of  Talisco  they  are  called  Narcisos 
amarillos. 
The  excessive  acrimony  of  the  seeds  of  the  joyote  attracted  my 
attention,  and  induced  me  to  investigate  them.  The  small  quantity  at 
my  disposal  and  other  circumstances  have  prevented  a  fuller  investi- 
gation, but  incomplete  as  it  may  be,  it  may  well  serve  as  a  basis  for 
-further  observations. 
