Travels in Brazil

by Henry Koster

APPENDIX.

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I HAVE in a former part of this volume mentioned Dr. Manoel Arruda da Camara, as having published two pamphlets at Rio de Janeiro, in 1810. One of these is entitled “A Dissertation upon the Plants of Brazil from which fibrous substances may be obtained, adapted to various uses in society, and which may supply the place of hemp; the enquiry being made by order of the Prince Regent.” The other pamphlet is called “An Essay on the utility of establishing gardens in the principal provinces of Brazil for the cultivation of new plants.”

I shall only give those parts of the works which may be interesting to English readers.—Transl.

A DISSERTATION, &c.
Section 1st.
Of Plants which afford Fibres, properly so called.

Caroa, Bromelia variegata:—Arrud. Cent. Plant. Pern.—The description is taken from my Centuria of the genera and species of new plants of Pernambuco.

Class, Hexandria:—Order, Monogynia:—Division, Flowers complete.

Gen. Char. Calyx superior and trifid. Corolla tripetalous, with nectariferous scales at the base of each petal. Fruit an umbellate, trilocular berry.

Section 1st. With flowers discrete or separated.

Spec. Char. Leaves ciliate, spiny, stained with transverse green and whitish marks.

Nat. Char. No stem.

Leaves radical and few, (from 3 to 7) from three to six feet long, channelled, revolute and spiny, green in the interior or concave surface, and stained with transverse whitish marks on the exterior or convex surface.

Flowers, The stalk two feet long, flexuose and almost spiral, with alternate scales without thorns; the spike simple, the peduncle or flower stalk short. Bracteæ small, the floral leaves simple, and at the foot of each flower stalk. Calyx monophyllous, with obtuse indentations, trifid, tubular, permanent and erect. Corolla tripetalous, tubular, of a bluish purple colour, oblong, obtuse, erect, with nectariferous scales at the bases; from the middle of each petal to the bottom is a channel which sheaths a single filament of the stamina. Stamina consist of six filaments inserted in the receptacle; of these, three are alternate with, and three are opposite to the petals; of the last the bases run down the grooves in the petals, and fix themselves in the receptacle. Pistil consists of one filiform style, with a single stigma. Pericarp, an oval, pointed berry, somewhat angular and umbellate, nearly of the size of an olive.

The plant is to be found in the Sertoens of Pernambuco, Paraiba, Searà, and principally in the Sertam of Cariri de Fora, and Pajaù, and upon the banks of the river St. Francisco. It blossoms in the months of July, August, and September.