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1 AG The Natural Hiftory of Jamaica. | 
Cusp: VI: 
Of Elerbs with monopetalous Flowers. 
N Jamaica the Tribe of Plants with monopetalous Flowers is pretty 
large, efpecially that elegant Setr of them called Convolvuli. They are 
mo(t beautifulffor the number and elegancy of the colours of their 
Flowers, far excceding thofe of Europe. “Tis fomewhat odd, that 
whereas moft of this kind of Plant are Purgative, a fort of Potato, 
firtt Convolvulus here mentioned, affords a Root, which by being an Aliment, 
goes a great way in affording Nourifhment to the Inhabicants of the hotter 
parts of the World. _Icis alfo remarkable that there are more Convolvuli than 
one here, which have only one Seed following the Flower; whereas, generally 
{peaking, there are in moft Convolvuli three, and yet no petfon verfed in 
Herbs, but who on reading the Defeription, or at firft fight of thefe Plants, 
but muft by the whole face of the, allow them to be truce Convolvuli. 
There are fome of this Tribe that feem fomewhat more anomalous than 
ordinary, all I can fay to my reducing them hither, is, that ‘tis the betft 
place 1 could find, and thatI fhall be very glad any body of better Judg- 
ment will find a more proper. 
There aré none in this Tribe ftranger than the Kinds of Aram, many of 
which are fcandent, and feveral cultivated for Food, fome for their Roots, 
and others for their Leaves, as fhall be {een hereafter. Galen feems to take 
a of Colocafia Roots, and Apicins has many Receipts for drefling of 
them. 
I. Nicotiana major latifolia, C. B. Cat. p.st. Petun de Bouton, p. 80. Tabac. 
Ejufd. p. 124. Tabaco de Efquemeling, p. 52. & 57. Talacum few nicotiana 
major latifolia Eyft. Petun on Tabacque ow Nicotien de Flacourt. p. 146. p. 146. 
Tobacco of Dampier. cap. 12. Tabac de Biet. p.336. De Rochef. Tab. p. 57. 
De Olivier Oexmelin. p. 76. De Maire, p. 80. Tabacum Mirand. fin. ty Ear. 
p. 873. Sana fantta Indorum five Nicotiana Gallorum, Swert. part. 2. Tab. 23. 
Tobacco. i> 
_ This growing here agrees exa@ly to the Defcription given of it in 
Authors. a sap wcibnd) dane sd j-a9) ts 
It is planted by moft Planters in their: Plantations, for the ufe of them 
felyes, and in: fome for Sale: ~Before the Eng/ifh rook this Ifland, the Spaniards 
had'here as good as any was inthe Zndies, which they were careful of, and 
planted it by the dry River; but the Englifh now taking cate of their Seed, 
they loft the beft forts, and what they have now :is planted along the Banks 
of this River. | oe 
‘Tobacco was moft planted, ufed, and in efteem in the North parts of 
America, where probably (the want of Provifions being greater than in moft 
parts of the World) it in fome meafure help'd the Inhabitants vo pals their 
time without them. Nizo/ tells us five of his Company were 16ft: in tithe of 
diftrefs, who could not fmoke it, though he confeffes it did not Nourith: 
From the Wef-Jadies it was propagated to the Aafl-[ndies, Africa, Ge. dnd 
in 1586. ‘twas by Sir Francis Drake brought into Exgland. In all places 
where it has come, it has very much bewitched the Inhabitants from the 
more polite Ewropeans, to the Barbarous /Zottentots. 
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