HERNANDRIA, JACK-IN-A-BOX-TREE: A genus of the triandria order, belonging to the monœcia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 38th order, Tricocca. The male calyx is tripartite; the corolla tripetalous; the female calyx is truncated, quite entire; the corolla hexapetalous; the plum hollow, and open at the mouth or upper part, with a loose kernel.
Species. 1. The sonora, or common jack-in-a-box, is a native of both the Indies. It grows 20 or 30 feet high; and is garnished with broad peltated leaves, and monœcious flowers, succeeded by a large swollen hollow fruit formed of the calyx; having a hole or open at the end, and a hard nut within. The wind blowing into the cavity of this fruit makes a very whistling and rattling noise, whence comes the name. 2. The ovigera grows many feet high, garnished with large oval leaves not peltated; and monœcious flowers, succeeded by a swollen fruit open at the end, and a nut within.
Uses. The sonora, in Java, affords a sure antidote against poison, if you either put its small roots on the wounds or eat them; as was discovered to Rumphius by a captive woman in the war between the people of Macassar and the Dutch in the year 1667. The soldiers of the former always carry this root about them, as a remedy against wounds with poisonous arrows.
Culture. Both these plants being tender exotics, must be planted in pots of rich earth, and always kept in a hot-house; in which, notwithstanding all the care that can be taken, they seldom flower, and never grow beyond the height of common shrubs, tho' in the places where they are natives they arrive at the height of trees. They are propagated by seeds procured from the West Indies.