254 ‘The Natural Hiftory of Jamaica. 
This has a two or three Inches long, jointed Root, as big as ones Thumb ; 
white, tapering, each internodium being half an Inch long, and at the joint 
having feveral two or three Inches long fibers to draw its Nourifhment from 
the Earth. From this Root rife feveral Leaves, having three Inches long, 
broad, Foot-Stalks, inclofing one another with a white Ring at the Leaves 
fetting on, they are four Inches long, and two broad, near the round Bate, 
where broadeft : thin, nervous, graflie, and of a yellowifh green colour, in 
every thing like the Canna Indica. The Flowers, by their Buds, feem to 
agree in every thing with the foregoing, only are {maller. 
This Plant was firft brought from the Ifland Dominica, by Colonel Fames 
Walker, to Barbados, and there planted. Fromhence it was fent to Famaicz, 
being very much efteem’d for its Alexipharmack qualities. That Gentle- 
man obferved the Native Zndians ufed the Root of this Plant with fuccefs, 
againft the Poifon of their Arrows, by only mafhing and applying it to the 
poifon’'d Wounds. 
The Root of this bruifed and applied remedies the Poifon of the 
Mancaneel and Walps of Guadaloupe, even {topping a begun Gangreen., Zertr:. 
Rochef. | 
I am inclinable to think this to be mentioned by Harcourt to. grow in 
Guiana, where he {ays that the Juice of the Leaf called Oppec, cures the 
Wound of the Poifoned Arrows. Harcourt ap. Purchas, lib. 6. cap. 6. p.1276. 
and by Sir Walter Rawleigh, where he tells us that there is a Root called 7s 
para, the Juice ferving for ordinary Poifon, quenching the heat of burning Fe- 
vers, healing inward Wounds, and Veins bleeding within the Body, Sir Water 
Raleigh, p.59. ap. Hakl. p.649. 1 believe this alfo to. be thar Root fpoke — 
of by Lopez de Gomara, tobe a Counter-poifon to the Manganeel, which 
he fays grows in Cartagena, and was faid to be the Herb wherewith Alewan- 
der heal’d Ptolomy, and which was difcovered by a Afoor in Catalonia, and 
was called Scorgonera, in which he might be eafily miftaken, there being 
{ome refemblance between the Root of this Plant and of that. 
Fob Horton. ap. FLakl. p.3. p. 487, fays that eight of their Men, witly their 
General and Captain Dudley, going afhore at Cape Verd, were by the Negros 
there wounded with poifoned Arrows, amongft which the cight died, the 
General being cured bya Clove of Garlick drawing the Poifon cur of his 
Wound, he being taught it by a Negro. 
XX: Alfinefolia per terram fparfa, flore hexapetalo purpurco. Cat. p. 12%. 
This from a {mall fibrous Root, fends out feveral Branches: lying: along 
the Ground, red, of: about a. Foot ins length, having Leaveslike thote 
of Chickweed, fet one againft another at equal: diflances ‘along~-the 
Stalk: the Flowers ftand at the ends of the Branches are few hexapetalous; 
of a purple colour. After thefe follows a green Head, inclofing feveral 
roundifh, flac, brown Seeds. id ei 
It grows every where in the Savannas, efpecially in dry places. « 
CHAP. 
