Uvaria (uvaria)

[NL. (Linnæus, 1737), so called with ref. to the berries, 6680 several species of India are very fragrant and somewhat showy, reaching in U. dulcis 2 inches and in U. purpure a 3 inches in diameter. The aromatic roots of U. Narum, a large woody climber with shining leaves and scarlet fruit, are used in India as a febrifuge, and by distillation yield a fragrant greenish oil. Some produce an edible fruit, as U. Zeylanica and U. macrophylla of India. U. Caffra, with laurel-like leaves, and fleshy berries resembling cherries, occurs in Natal, and two other extra-limital species are Australian. U. virgata and U. laurifolia, two West Indian trees known as lancewood, once cla ed here, are now referred to the genus Oxandra; and many other former American species are now a igned to Guatteria. Compare also Unona and Asimina.