CADM1H3L [GuEsxocerre.] CsESA LPINIA, a genus of plants belonging to the tribe Cassietr, of the natural order Leguminosa, and especially distinguished by the lowermost of its sepals being arched, the uppermost of its stalked petals being the shortest, its stamens all perfect with shaggy bases, and the fruit a compressed bivalved pod. The species are trees or shrubs, found in both the East and West Indies, with showy yellow flowers, abruptly pinnated leaves, and stems which are usually more or less prickly. The Brazil-Wood of commerce is said to be furnished by two of its species.
One of these, C. Brasiliensis, is a West Indian rather than n Bra zilian tree, without prickles, downy flower-stalks, panicled flowerS, smooth obtuse oblong leaflets. The other, C. echinata, which is really a Brazilian plant, is a prickly tree, with yellow and red blossoms, smelling deliciously like lilies of the valley, prickly pods, and oval blunt leaflets. Both these species undoubtedly yield a red wood, but it is by no means clear that they exclusively furnish the Brazil-Wood of commerce, as is commonly stated. According to Dr. Bancroft, this article is obtained from a tree with a large crooked knotty stem, the bark of which is so thick that a tree as large as a mane body with the bark, will not be so thick as the leg when peeled ; and he calls this species C. Brasile to, a name unknown to botanists : he however states that it is called by the natives Ibiripitanga. Now, that is the
name given by Marcgraaf to the C. echinata, but this author says nothing about the peculiarity in the bark. One authority however ascribes a particularly thick alburnum to C. echinata, but says nothing of the bark. Malte-Brun says there are three kinds of Mirim, or Brazil-Wood found in Brazil ; but he includes with them the C. Bra siliensit, which there is no good authority for considering a native of that country. Fde agaiu refers the sappan wood of the East Indies (Casalpinia Sappan) to one of the Brazil-Woods of the merchants. Upon the whole it appears that we have no good testimony as to what the tree is that yields it ; but it. is probable that it is the produce of many species, and possibly of more than one genus, for De Candolle and Sprengel doubt whether the Casalpinia echinata is not rather a Guilandina. The best Brazil-Wood is said to come from Pernambuco, where it is called No da Rainha, or Queen's Wood, ou account of its being a royal monopoly. The Bukkum or Sappan Wood of commerce is yielded by C. Sappan. A substance known in the markets under the name of Dividivi or Libidibi has lately become important ou account of the tannin it contains. It is the fruit or pods of C. coriaria. They are not used in medicine, but in dyeing and tanning.
CAFFElt-BREAD. [ENCEPRALARTOS.)