134 
The Natural Hiftory of JAMAICA. 
C,H. BM. Guajacum flore caruleo fruttu fubrotundo Plumser. pl. Am. 
p- 39: Gayac, Gwayacan, Bois-Saint ow Indien, Pommet. p. 114: Lignum- 
Vite of Dampiers 
Lignam-V. ee 
This Tree has a Trunc as thick as one’s Thigh, rifing to about thirty 
Foot high, the Bark is very fmooth, ofa green and white Colour mix’d, 
the Spots of each being for the moft Part large, the Bark thick, the our- 
fide of the Wood, or that Part near the Libra being white, the inner 
black, very hard and ponderous ; the Branches are many, making a plea- 
fant Top, and having Knobs or Joints at every Inch and halt’s Diftance. 
Onthe Twigs come winged Leaves oppofite to one another ; the Pinne 
or Leaves are always two pair or four fet one againft another without 
any Footftalk to the three quarters of an Inch long middle Rib, they are 
nervous, fmooth, about an Inch long and three Quarters of one broad, 
of a dark green Colour, and refemble the Leaves of Rue or Box ; 
from the further End. of the Twigs come the Flowers, many together 
on Inch long, green Footftalks, as from a common Centre, or Um- 
bell Fafhion, they are pentapetalous, blue, the Petala being long, and 
ftanding Star-fafhion, within which are many blue Stamina with yellow 
Apices, and a purple Stylus. After thefe follows the Fruit, which is 
fhaped like the Seed of Bur/a Paffores or the Fruit of Acer Montanum candi- 
dum B. wanting the A/e, or a Heart, the Apex being that Part fticking to 
the Tree; and the Bafe uppermoflt, of a yellow Orange Colour, moift 
and corrugated Subftance, which opens it felf and lets drop an oblong 
large, horny, oval, black Seed, almoft like that of Cotton. 
The Elder Trees of this Kind have generally fticking to their Barks 
good. Quantity ofa refinous inodorous Gum, refembling Benzoin in every 
thing but Smell. : k fEs9 el ) 
~ It grows every where in the Savanna Woods and Hill Sides of the 
South fide of this Ifland, but none that I could fee in the North 
fide. 
Thefe Trees afford not good Fire-wood, and are fo hard as to break the 
Iron Tools ufed in felling them, and therefore are generally left ftanding 
when other Trees are fell’d. 
The Flower when dryed turns pale, and does not keep its blue 
Colour, whence ‘fo.'Terentius, Lynceus ap. Hernandez defcribes the Flower 
to be of that Colour; in other Things the Defcription is good, and 
the Icom of the Fruit exact; but there feems to be great Confufion 
and very few certain Marks between Guayacan and Lignum-Santtum, as 
may appear to any perufing Hernandez Ximenes and Terentins. 
The Bark of this Tree is efteem’d more effectual: than its other 
Parts, 
This Wood boil’d in Water, and drank for many Days, Morning and 
Evening, is good in Difeafes of the Liver and Breaft, efpecially their 
ancient Ob{trudtions, being of fubtle and hot Patts ; it helps the French 
Pox and Stoppage of Urine ; The white Juice coming out of the Bark 
Is good againft a fcal’d Head, Pi/o. 
Thofe of Brafile ufed it againft the French-Pox, Marcgr. - 
Concerning the great Price of it in the Haft-Indies, after the Pox 
reach’d thofe Places, vid. Garc. de China. , 
A Spaniard getting from an Indian Woman the French-Pox, was 
cured by his Indian Servant of his Pains, by this Wood, cc. in Hifpaniola, 
whence others did the like, and thence it came in Ute at Seville, thro’ alk 
Spain, 
