The Brazilian nutmegs, produced by the Nectandrum Puchury, grow in the country between the Rio Negro and Japura.
The Cumarú, or Tonquin-beans, are very abundant on the Upper Rio Negro, and are also found near Santarem on the Amazon.
A highly odoriferous bark, called by the Portuguese “Cravo de Maranhão” (Cloves of Maranham), is produced by a small tree growing only on one or two small tributaries of the Rio Negro.
A peculiar transparent oil, with an odour of turpentine, called Sassafras by the Venezuelans, is abundantly obtained by tapping a tree, common on the Upper Rio Negro, whence it is exported to Barra, and used for mixing oil-colours. In the Lower Amazon, a bitter oil, called Andiróba, much used for lamps, is made from a forest fruit.
A whitish resin, with a strong camphorous smell, is produced very abundantly in the Rio Negro and the Amazon, and is commonly used as pitch for the canoes and all the larger vessels of the country; while the inner bark of young trees of the Bertholletia excelsa, or Brazil-nut tree, is used instead of oakum for caulking.
Among the forest-trees of the Amazon, the Leguminosæ are much the most abundant in species, and they also most attract attention from their curious bean-like fruits, often of extraordinary size or length. Some of the Ingás, and allied genera, have pods a yard long, and very slender; while others are short, and three or four inches wide. There are some curious fruits of this family, which grow on a stalk three to five feet long and very slender, appearing as if some one had suspended a number of pods from the branches by long strings.
The flowers of this family are among the most brilliant and conspicuous; and their often finely-cut pinnate foliage has a very elegant appearance.
The following is a list of the principal vegetable productions of the Amazon forests:—
- India-rubber, from the sap of the Siphonia elastica.
- Brazil-nuts, the seeds of the Bertholletia excelsa.
- Salsaparilha, the roots of Smilax syphilitica.
- Tonquin-beans, the seeds of Dipteryx odorata.
- Puxiri, the fruit of Nectandrum Puchury.
- Sassafras oil, tree not known.
- Andiróba oil, from the fruit of an unknown tree.
- Crajurú, a red colour prepared from the leaves of Bignonia Chica.
- Pitch—exudes from a forest tree.
- Cacao, the seeds of Theobroma Cacao and other species.
- Cravo, from an unknown tree.
- Canella, the bark of Canella alba.
- Vanilla, the fruits of various species of Vanilla.
- Guaraná, a preparation from a fruit, grated in water, to form an agreeable and medicinal drink.
- Piassába, the fibres from the petioles of a palm, Leopoldinia n. s.
- Balsam Capivi, from the Copaifera officinalis.
- Silk cotton, from various species of Bombax.
In many parts of my Journal, I have expressed an opinion that travellers have exaggerated the beauty and brilliancy of tropical vegetation, and on a calm review of all I have seen in the districts I have visited, I must repeat it.