48 The Natural Hiflory of JAMATCA. 
Ww ild-Indigo. 
_ This Plant-has a,very fmall Root, and rifes by a green, round, ftreight, 
Stem, three Foot high, having fome Branches fpread on every Hand to- 
wards the Top, whofe Leaves are wing’d, ufually fix Pinne or three pair, 
fet one again{ft another, each of which are broadeft towards the Top like 
the Colutea Scorpioides.C. B. Pin. Ofa blueifh green Colour and unfavory 
Smell, the Flowers are of a deep yellow Colour, Pentapetalous, almoft Pa- 
pylionaceous, the Petala being fet fparfe or lax, ona fhort Footftalk, to 
which fuceeds a four corner’d two Inches long brown Pod, containing one 
Row of brown fhining fmall rhomboidall Seeds. 
After every rainy Seafon this Shrub comes up very plentifully and fills 
the Clay-land Places of the Savanna’s about the Town of St. Jago ae La 
Vega, having at firft two Seminal Leaves, as feveral of the Legumina have. 
“Tt is ufed the fame Way and for the fame Ends with the foregoing only 
’tis not fo powerful, it is apply’d to Carbuncles and Ulcers to draw out 
the Heat. The Leaves being put into Water and rotted, a thick and fat 
Subftance comes of them, which is ufed for a cleanfing Ointment. Pifo, 
XXII. Senna occidentalis, odore opij virofo, orobi Panuonici felts MIUCY OB Aa 
tis, glabra Eterm, Cat. p. 148. Ray. Hift. Vol. 3. p. 449. Orobus Br afilienfs 
flore luteo Pajomirioba Marcgr. Raij Hift. p. 912. Senna |puria occidentalis 
odore opij wvirofo folijs mucronatis glabris. Comm. Hort. Amft. p. 51. where 
there is no good Figure. Cafia Americana fatida foljis oblongis glabris Tours 
nef. Inft. p. 619. An Indigo fera longifolia. Mant. Aard, p.229. Phyt cur. p. 
13? Caachina 2da Pifo. An Galoga Indica heccedecaphyllos fea Senna Cl. eylanica 
Major Aman. Hort. Bof. p. 15 ? Sophera foljis lentifci. Ej. ps 34: 
‘This Plant has a two or three Inches long, dark brown, oblong, crook- 
ed Root, having feveral Fibrils, drawing Nourifhment from the Earth. 
The Stalk rifes three or four Foot high, is lignofe,. and has a great many 
crooked Branches, befet with winged Leaves, whofe Pinne are equal 
in Number, about five pair fet on the middle Rib, oppofite one 
to the other, on fhort. or no Footftalks, they are three quarters of an 
Inch long, and one third of an Inch broad, ofa dark green Colour, and: 
{melling very ftrong. At the Tops of the Branches are feveral yellow al- 
moft Papylionaceous Flowers, cenfifting of five Petala with a crooked 
green Stylus, like the Flowers of Caffia, and to each of thefe follows a 
three or four Inches long Pod, ereét, flat, containing a Row of brown 
comprefs’d {mall Seeds, there being a Swelling on the Outfide. of the 
Pod over every Seed, anda parting Membrane betwéen. hinitin 
Hernandex’s Figure agrees very well to thisand his Defcription, ex- 
cept the Word Hi/pidus: > i ib 
{t grows every where in the Savanna’s or plain Grounds in Samaica as 
well as the Caribe Iflands. | | 
Itis very cold, the Leaves are beaten, and the Juice is put into the A- 
nus, :which cures the Inflammations thereof, called the Bicho del cul: 
Fomentations are made of it in all Inflammations, efpecially of the Legs. 
This befides its cooling, has an opening Quality ; the Water of the Leaves 
and Flowers cure the Heats of the Bladder and Kidneys, and provokes 
Urine. Pi/o, | 
The Root is a good Counter-poyfon, and a Remedy againft the 
Strangury. The Seed is good againft Tetters. The Leaves beaten and 
laid warm to the Side, cures its Pains. Marc. ~ | 
Altho’ 
