Quem 
earn sa ornare rene en Ne Se EN Ce PECL A Eee say 
The Natural Hiffory of Jamaica. 
129 
The great part of the Seed is divifible into two parts, but there lies in 
the middle in the hollow, a film which confifts not only of two perfect 
Leaves, an{werable to Lobes in other Kernels, but of thefe parts that be- 
come Trunc and Root. Grew. 
In old Obftructions af the Bowels, four or five of thefe ripe Kernels, freed 
from their inward and outward pellicles or Membranes, then tofted and in- 
fus’d in Wine, are accounted a good remedy. They Purge upwards and 
downwards with that violence, that four will caufe fuch fymptoms fome- 
times as will force the ufe of Counter-Poyfons or Opiats, They are like- 
wife ufeful in affording an Oil tor Lamps which the Portagueze ule in 
Brafil. The Oil of this as well as of the Ricinus purges. Pifo. 
The inward Skin being taken out they purge more gently. 
They fometimes Purge, bur Vomit chiefly thick and tough Humours, 
therefore they are given in antient Diftempers either five or feven, always odd, 
but they are firft torrefied, and then when marfh’d, they are fteep’d in Wine 
or Water tobe made milder. They are hot and oily. Zernand. His Figure 
is very bad. 
The Dofe is from three to fix. Zertre, five Rochef. Rain dropping from 
them ftains Linnen. id. 7 
XI. Ricinus minor flaphyfagria folio, flore pentapetalo purpurco. Cat. p. 4t. 
Tab. 84. Ricinus Americanus latte{cens, trilobato folio perennis flore nigricante 
hort. Beaum. p. 36. Ricinus Americanus perennis fiortbus purpureis Staphidis 
agria foliise Commzl. hort. Amt, p.17. Ricinoides Americana, ftaphis agria 
folio. Tournefort. Inft. p.566. Wild Caffada. 
The Root of this is tapering, white, ftreight, two Inches long, having 
{ome few fibers drawing its Nourifhment. The Stem feldom rifes above two 
Foot high; it divides into Branches {preading themfelves on every hand, 
they and the Stem being crooked, and having a light brown coloured Bark, 
The Leaves ftand on long and rough Foot-Stalks, and are divided always 
into five points when old, at the tops, or when young, into three Lacinie, 
which are of a reddifh colour, like Staphifacre, or fomewhat like Mundihoca, 
whence the common name of Wild Caffada inall our Plantations. They are 
of adark, or very frefh green colour, and an unfavoury {mell The Flowers 
ftand many together, on fhort Foot-Stalks, on the tops of the Branches, are 
Pentapetalous of a purple colour, with yellow Stamiza, and very {mall. After 
thefe follows, a triquetrous Fruit covered with a dark brown’ muricated 
Skin, under which lie three hard clay coloured Shells, having a /c7#s or de- 
preffion on their outmoft corner or edge, and inclofing each within it an 
oblong Seed like the other Ricini, of an ath fhining colour, with two Green 
Ears and a white Pulp. 
It grows in the Sayannas every where in Jamaica, as alfo in all the Ca 
ribes, and on the main Continent of America, | 
The Figures of the three Plants mentioned in my Catalogue, and cut by 
Dr. Plukenet in his Phytagraphia, agreeing with this Plant, which has fome- 
times in its Leaves five, and fometimes three Laciniz, taken notice of by me 
in its Figure and Defcription, makes me believe they may be all the fame, 
notwithftanding what he fays in his Mantiffa,p 161. 
This is the moft general remedy of the poorer fort in the dry Belly-ach, 
they take of the Leaves from feven to twenty one, and boil them, drinking 
the Decoétion, and when nothing will move to Stool, they will. ’Fis nor 
only ufed in our Plantations for this purpofe, burt on the main Contie 
nent of America, as I have been informed by thofe who practifed Phyfick 
among the Spaniards inhabiting thofe parts. 7 
| oe The 
