ARTOCARPUS, the Bread-Fruit, is the genus which has given its name to the natural order Artocarpacem. It consists of trees having stems of very considerable size; large leaves, which are exceedingly rough with little points ; stipules like those of the fig ; and monce cious flowers, of which the stamen-bearing ones are disposed in long club-shaped spikes (fig. A 3), and the pistil-bearing ones in round heads (fig. A 2), which become the fruit, and often arrive at a very considerable size (fig. A 4).
A Bread-Fruit is a fig (Ficus) turned inside out, and much larger in all its parts ; that is to say, the flowers which form the Bread-Fruit and Fig grow in both cases upon a fleshy receptacle ; but in the former the receptacle is solid, and bears its flowers externally, while in the latter it is hollow, and bears its flowers internally.
The stamen-bearing flowers of Artocarpus (figs. B, C) consist of a tubular calyx containing a singlo stamen ; the pistil-bearing flowers A, a shoot very meet less than the natural size with stamen-bearing flowers 3; pistil-hearing flowers 2 ; fruit 4 ; and its atipules 1: B, a stamen-hearing flower ; C, the same opened ; 13, three pistil-hearing flowers, sliced open at the bottom to show the ovaries ; E, a portion of the fruit showing the nuts in the (fig. D) consist of two or three fleshy sepals grown closely together and meeting at the points, between which passes a long 'slender style with two stigmas, which are hairy and curved downwards. The ovary is simple, and contains but ono ovule. At a very early period the flowers grow firmly together into a solid fleshy mass, which finally becomes the fruit. The seeds are large nut-like bodies, which lie beneath the rind of the fruit.
Many species are known, some of which, as Artocarpus Chaplashe and hirsute, are large trees, and yield valuable timber in the forests of Bengal and Malabar. The species, however, best known are those which yield the Bread-Fruit and the Jack.
A. incise (the Bread-Fruit) is a native of the South Sea Islands and of many parts of the Indian Archipelago ; it inhabits only such places as are both hot and damp. Dr. Roxburgh complains that the winters of Bengal are much too cold for it. In the South Sea Islands it forms a moderate-sized tree, rarely exceeding 40 feet in height, with leaves deeply divided into sharp lobes, and sometimes as much as 3 feet long. The fruit is green and of considerable size,
equalling a melon of the larger kind in dimensions, and is of many different forms : one variety produces it free from all spines on the surface or from seeds internally ; this is the best sort : others are split into deep lobes, or covered all over with the sharp-pointed fleshy tops of the calyxes. The nuts, when roasted, are said to be as excel lent as the best chestnuts; but it is principally for the fleshy receptacle that it is valued. When roasted it becomes soft, tender, and white, resembling the crumb of a loaf ; but it must be eaten new, or it becomes hard and choky. Others compare the flavour to that of a roasted potato. What we have tasted has been in thin slices which had been thoroughly dried, and it was very like a piece of dried biscuit. In Anson's Voyages' it is said to be delicious when ripe, and when mixed with lime juiceor orange-juice to have a grateful tart flavour, not unlike apple-sauce.
It forms so important a part of the support of the South-Sea Islanders that it was,introduced by the British Government into the West Indies, where it is still cultivated, and whence it has been carried to the continent of America. It was to obtain this plant that the unfortunate expedition of Captain Bligh was fitted out. It does not appear, however, equal to the plantain as an article of human food.
A. integrifolia, the Jack, is also a native of the islands of the Indian Archipelago, and is in its general appearance like the Bread-Fruit, but its leaves are totally destitute of all laceration, and its fruit, which is very prickly, weighs 60 or 70 lbs. This latter is yellow, and constitutes the principal part of the diet of the natives in some parts of India ; but it is said to have an offensive odour, and to be little esteemed by Europeans : all, however, concur in attesting the excellenco of the nuts when roasted.
Like all other Artocarpads this tree exudes a great quantity of a viscid milky juice, from which the beat bird-lime of India is prepared. (Botanical Magazine, vol. ii.) ARUM. [AnoinEm.]