a 
i 8 The Natural Fhiftory of Jamaica. 
The hollow on the top of the Tree contains a white fat and juicy Pith, 
with which, as well as rhe young Leaves, the Negroes cure their Wounds 
and old Ulcers. This Wood is ufed in Brafile to rub fire with, making a 
hole in ir, and turning round in it another harder till it takes fire. 
The tender tops are adftringent, their juice is good again{t Fluxes, ims 
moderate Catamenia and Gonorrhea. Pifo. It is good againtt the immoderaté 
Lochia, if a PoultefS of the Leaves be applyedtothe Navel. dem. 
Peter Martyr, and Lop. de Gem. tell a Story of an old Jndians curing a 
very great Wound, whereby the Arm was almoft cut off from the Shoulder, 
with a PoultefS of the Leaves of this Tree. But they fay this Trec has an 
edible Fruit, which I never obférved ; at leaft that ‘twas eat. 
The tops cure new and old Wounds, and are Cauflick, eating the proud 
Flefh, and generating new. Oviedo. 
This being hollow, and very light, I believe may be what was madé ufé 
of by the Brafilians to filh on, fome pieces being joined together, and very 
faft tied, they called them their Piperis, in every thing fupplying the ufé 
of Boats, as well as Bull-Ruthes, or with the gyptians the Scapi of 
the Papyrus. De Lery tells us that they can never Drown on them, and 
thar on thefe, they fifh fingly, and thar they might be made ufe of here on 
Ferries. 
The Fruit looks like Worms, and is wholefome and _pleafant. Lop. de 
Gom. ! 
Pigeons feed much on this Fruit, and the Wood is ufed by Turtlers for 
buoys to their Nets. "I 
The Leaves are rough and polifh Timber. ‘The inner Rind, laid-to frefh 
Wounds, with the outer tied onit, Cures them. Varchas. Latt: ~~ 
That this is mentioned in two diftinct places, as two feveral Trees, by 
Fobnfion in his Dendrelogy,, is, 1 think, as plain as that they are the fame, 
fo that I much wonder at Dr. Plukenct’s remark in p.75. and 76. of his 
Mantiffa. 
XXL. Fezopyrum fcandens, fen volubilis nigra major, flore & frutiu membra- 
naceis, fulrotundis, compreffis.. Cat p 46. Tab.go. Fig.1. ae 
This Woodbind has round ted fucculent Stalks, by which it winds and 
turns its felf round any Tree or Shrub it comes near, rifing feven or eight 
Foot high, ithas every Inch or half Inchtowards the top, Leaves growing out 
of the Sralk alternatively. They have a quarter of an Inch long Foor-Stalks 
are grafs green, juicy, {mooth, thick, an Inch and a quarter long, and one Inch 
éver at the bafe, being near upon of a triangular heart figure, or very 
much refembling thofe of the Convoloulus niger femine triangalo. C. B. Ex 
alis foliorum, towards the top, come out the Flowers, they are very many 
plac’d on three Inches long Spikes, by a very fhort Petiolus, they are round, 
at, fwell'd out in the middle, and green, and have a thin white membrane 
round them, looking like a Parfnip Seed. When thefe membranes are ripe 
Seed, they differ nothing from what they appear at firft coming out when 
Flowers, butin being fomewhat Jarger, and having their protuberant part in 
the middle, turn of a browncolour from a et | 
It grows among the Trees near the Ruins of a Monaftery by the 
Town. 3 | : 
This, by its Defcription and Figure, appears to be quire different from 
thé Plant, Dr. Piukenet thinks, (Mant. p. 74.) it may be, viz. Fago triticum 
majus volubile Virginianum, Oe. | Sa a 
XXIV. 4 ge 
