The Natural Hiftory of Jamaica. I 
It grows in the Vallies or Low Lands, towards the Sea fide in great 
plenty, flowering after the great Rains. 
The whole Plant is fweetifh to the taft, and therefore cail’d wild Li- 
quorifh. | 
It is commended for a Remedy againft the Belly-ach, if the Leaves be 
boil'd in Broth, and the Decodtion given to the Sick. 
Clufius was told, that thefe Peafe firing’d and wore as Bracelets, were 
ufed as Piony Roots againft the Falling-Sicknefs ; but he belicved they,’ 
were wore only as an Ornament, and Iam of the fame mind, they being us’d 
for that purpofe to this day. tort b 
_ Cluftus fays, that they remain fometimes three years in, the grovnd after 
planting, before they rife, which he afcribes to their hardnefs. rote 
_ The £eyptians feed on them, being boil’d, but they are of all-other Beans. 
the hardeft, and of worfe Digeftion, wherefore they are very troublefome. 
to the Stomach, begetting much Wind. They are very hurtful. to Hypo- 
chondriack People, very hardly to be digefted, and beget bad Nourifhment. 
Alp. They were brought from Arabia Felix into Egypt, and there Sown, and 
usd more for Girls Ornament than Food. Vefling. 5 ge Blais a 
_ Beft in his Defcription of the third Voyage of Frobifher.to: meta incognita, 
{ituated in above fixty degrees of North Latitude,.fays, that they found’ in 
the Tents of thofe people a Guinea-Bean of red colour, the which doth 
ufually grow in hor Countries, thereby conjedturing they ‘travelled into far 
diftant Countries, or, traded with people from thence. 
They are commended by fome (£ fuppofe in Necklaces, vid. Cluf.) in 
teething Fevers, and Spafms of Children. Cam. | . | 
They are ufed for weights, Znd.or. par. 6. p35. 
The Leaves with Calamus aromaticus, -boil’d with Oil, help Pains from fliarp 
Humors. Their Powder by Infolation, mixt with Sugar, ftays a fharp Cough. 
The Juice exprefs'd, puts away Pains and Cold, and difcuflesthick-and tough: 
FHumors, cx. - oo} dadFenbuise ioreniae deal 9499 
_ They are\not eaten, but ufed as Weights -in Madagafear and China: 
Grew. ! | , isd Wobiar 4: 
Thefe Beans are frequently gathered on the Shores of the North-Weft 
parts, and Iflands of Scotland, with other Seeds. which ate. before, and 
will hereafter be mentioned. base dy ne vag anied 
_ Upon being fometimes wetted, thefe Peafe will turn of a black colour, 
whence I conjecture the two forts mentioned by Dr. Plukenet in his Aln. 
P-294- and Mantiffa, p.150. may bethe fame. : 
XIE Phafeolus fylvaticus flore patulo, dilute purpureo, filiqua tenni nigra, [e- 
mine minore maculato. Cat. p. 71. Phafeolo afinis folio terebinthi duritie; Braft- 
liana flore purpureo maximo. Pluk. Alm. p. 291. OT | 
This, by its tender Stalks, winds its {elf round any Plant it comes near. 
The Leaves are very thin, of a frefh green colour, and. are.always thrée, 
{landing on an Inch long Foot-Stalk, each of. which is about -an-Inch longs 
and three [nches broad, near the round Bafe where broadeft, and. whence 
they end in a point which is blunt, being thin and fmooth, and. of a yel- 
lowith green colour. The Flowers ftand on a long Foot Stalk, are papilio- 
naccous, very open, of a pale blue colour, with fome purple Streaks, ‘after 
which follows a {mall three Inches long, thin, black Pod, containing feyeral 
oblong Peafé, {peckled with black {pots. “The Pods haye two eminent railed 
Lines on their outfides. \s 
There is a variety in the largenefs of this Plant. 
Aad Dr. Plykenes 
