Cecropia

Cecropia, a genus of Artocarpaceæ. C. peltata, the Trumpet-tree of the West Indies and South America, has a hollow stem and branches, exhibiting merely membranous partitions at the nodes. The branches, these partitions being removed, are made into water-pipes and wind-instruments. The wood is very light, and is used to make floats for nets, and by the Indians in kindling fires by friction against a harder piece of wood. The bast yields a cordage fibre, and the outer bark is astringent, the fruit resembles a raspberry, the buds furnish a potherb, while the juice hardens into caoutchouc. The leaves and fruit are largely consumed by sloths. The hollow stem is largely inhabited by ants.