Wichita eagle., 1889-01-05

The "Hand Flower Trce-The aFever
Flower" of Vera Cruz-A Quaint Com
ceit of Floral Nature-The Deadly ssPnio
de Leche."
In the year 17S7 there was in Mexico
Spanish botanical commission, headed by
Martin Sesse; and the gentlemen of this corps
receiyed from the Indians of Toluca an IN
known plant which the Indians called Mac
palxochlcuahuiti % this formidable morsel
being a compound word, from elements
meaning 'shand, y flower" and stree" The
blossoms are sub-campanulate, heshy and
fvepetaled, or, rather, fve-Sepaled, since the
corolla is wanting. The pistil, which is
green, represents the thumb Of the hand, and
fertilization is accomplished by the fingers
curling over it 80 as to shed upon it the pollen
from their antherx The stamens or fingers,
which constitute the popularity of the flower,
are four, monodelphops at the base, but sep
arate beyond that point They are of IN
equal length, with oblong anthers The ovary
is pentagonal, the fruit capsular, with ten to
twelve seeds III each lobe. The botanical at
tributes Of this plant place 1t in the family
Bombacee Specifically the tree is cheiros-
temun platanoides.
The group of stamens is certainly very
suggestive of a bloody, claw like or skeleton
lied human hand, and the first sight Of one
of these flowers causes weird impression. It
was, no doubt, partly this trait and partly
the numerical rarity Of the plant that gave
it 80 much Importance among the Indians.
There was but one tree at Toluca, and none
other known throughout the country, though
tradition has it that these plants were culti-
waited to some extent by the kings of Tex
COCO. Very few Of the seeds mature, and
still fewer terminate.
THE ''FEvER FLowERn
In the sub-tropical regions Of the state Of
Vera Cruz there is a plant known as ''the
fever flower" whose blossom, which is q
feshy spathe, somewhat similar in shape and
size to that of the Gala lilly, is lined within
with hue like the cheeks Of fever flushed
patient, while at noon it is, even in the dense
shade, burning hot to the touch, and toward
evening it becomes thickly beaded with drops
like those of dense perspiration. 1t is said
also that the fumes from this flower, kept in
a room, will produce fever in the human
tenants. The Mexican local botanists had
too vague and insufficient knowledge to
classify this interesting specimen, and | was
never able TO procure it under such condi-
tons as to study all its parts, but I should
say 1t Is an arum.
The ''duck plant" so called, is another
quaint conceit of floral nature 1t is a
climber or twiner, with large cordate leaves,
not unlike those Of tho morning glory" but
as large as ones two hands. The flower Is
perhaps foot long, and its contours are very
Of duck sitting "topside down"
Within it presents a surface Of most exqui-
site velvetv softness, OF notified pale green
and rich, dark maroon. AIasl when passes
this flower is quite as unfragrant as its ami
NAL prototype when it becomes ''highn-in
fact it smells rank unto heaven with a most
disgusting stencil.
There is q curious story current in North
ern Mexico of a tree which would seem to be
closely akin to the tabled upas trees. It is
as of the size of O large apple tree,
with similar foliage. and it is said that the
ground round about it is literally carpeted
with butterflies and other insects that are
killed by its distilled venom. The larger ami
mails also fall prey to its noxious properties,
though cattle and such creatures for the most
part avoid it, as if By either instinct or OBJ
servation. a romantic tale is also told of
young Mexican. / believe the story runs he
was a vaquero on the hacienda, who per-
suaded his successful rival in the affections
Of a fair muchacha to lie down to rest be-
meath this vampire tree. The hated rival,
being stranger to that section and ignorant
of the toxic properties of his leafy canopy,
never awakened from his
sieSta-
THE "PALO DE IECHEn