The Dallas-Clarendon Treaty was a treaty arranged in England in 1856, to adjust difficulties between Great Britain and the United States respecting Central America, arising under the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. It was not ratified by the Senate. Research Dallas-Clarendon Treaty
Mahogany is a light hard wood from trees of the family Meliaceae, that was first introduced to Britain as ballast cargo from Cuba and Central America and became popular for making furniture during the 18th century. Mahogany is valuable as it shrinks very little when it dries, and suffers very little from warping or twisting. Research Mahogany
Arrowroot (Maranta arundinaceae) also known as Araruta, is a herbaceousperennial of the family Marantaceae, native to the West Indies and Central America. It has a creeping rhizome with upward-curving, fleshy, cylindrical tubers covered with large, thin scales that leave rings of scars. The flowering stem reaches a height of two metres and bears creamy flowers at the ends of the slender branches that terminate the long peduncles. They grow in pairs. The numerous, ovate, glabrous leaves are from five to 25 centimetres long with long sheaths often enveloping the stem. A starch is extracted from the rhizomes and used in cooking and in herbal medicine for treating scorpion and spiderstings. Research Arrowroot
The candle tree (Parmentiera cerifera) is a tree native to Central America of the family Burseraceae. It bears large white flowers at the nodes, followed by yellow edible fruit not unlike wax candles in appearance. Research Candle Tree
Cotinga is a common name for any of about 90 species of birds constituting the family Cotingidae, probably native to tropical South America but now ranging through Central America and into the south-western USA. They are mainly fruit-eating forest dwellers. Cotingas vary in size but may be up to 45 centimetres long. Many are brilliantly coloured, with striking crowns and wattles. The cries of several species, such as the bellbirds, are distinctive and can be heard for long distances. Their nests range from crude affairs to sophisticated domes. Among the cotinga species are the cock-of-the-rock and the umbrella bird. Research Cotinga
Episcea is a genus of tropical plants belonging to the Gesneraceae. They are mostly natives of the West Indies and Central America. The flowers have trumpet-shaped corollas, usually scarlet in colour. Research Episcea
Euterpe is a genus of tall, slender, tropical, spineless palms, chiefly natives of Brazil and Central America, rising to a height of some 30 metres. The leaves are terminal, and as the leaf-sheaths completely fall with the rest of the leaf, the stems are clean and free from signs of previously dead leaves. They produce small white flowers, followed by purple, pea-like fruit. Research Euterpe
The finfoot is a water-bird native to Central America, South Africa and southern Asia. It is slender with a long pointed bill and toes with side lobes. It lives fresh or brackish water margins where it eats small animals and some plant material. Research Finfoot
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Arroba
