— 
The Natural Hiftory of JAMAICA. 
eae ee St Teen = 
157 
Francifco Ulloa ap. Ramuus. Pp. 343 Hakl. p. 404. tells us that this Fruit 
is eat by the Inhabitants of Sta. Cruz, and that ic is found likewife toe 
wards Califormia in about 17° N. Lat. oe 
XIV. Cereus craffiffimus, frutu iatus & extus rubro. Cat. Fam. p. 196. 
Raij. Hift. Vol. 2. Dendr. p. 21. Melocattus Americanus, monoclonus, flore 
albo fractu atro purpureo Tour nef. Inft. p. 553. An Cereus ereiius C araffavicus 
maximus fruitau {pinofo rubro. Herm. par. Bat. p. 1132 - Cereus criftatus 
Beaumontianus ejufa. par. Bat. pr. ? vel An Cerus erectus fructa rubro non 
fpinofo. Ejufd. par, Bat. p. 114? Cereus erectus fraita rubro non |pinofo 
lanuginofus. ej. tb? a 3 
Dildoe.Tree the larger. 
The Roots of this Tree, when young, are fpread on the Surface of — 
the Ground for feveral Feet’s Diftance, folid, of a Cheffaut Colour, 
from whence comes one Stalk or Stem, which mounts ftreight up 
to twenty Foot high, having a Notch or round Incifure, at every 
two, three, or four Foot’s Diftance, being the Beginings and End- 
ings of the different Leaves. of which.’tis: made up; “tis about fix- 
teen Inches in Circumference, green when young, or towards the Top, 
channél’d on the Sides from: the» Bottom, to. the: ‘Top, :with eight, 
nine, or ten deep Furrows. On the Edges, Seriz, Eminencies or Ribs 
of this ‘Trunc ftand great. Tufts of white: Prickles, half an Inch long, 
twelve, more or lefs in a .Tuft, ftanding Star-fafhion ; the Stem is hols 
low, and on a great many folid, woody Fibres clofe fet together, ‘ex- 
cept fome Netlike Spaces left between, is a green, thick Pulp, on the 
Edges of: whofe prominent Parts grow the Prickles abovefaid. This 
empty, round, woody Contexture is what ts in the other of this Kind 
ufed for Torches very oftsn. The main Trunc, at one of its Notches 
is branch’d, or has Leaves going out, on which grow others to 
a pretty Heighth, of the fame Make and Bignefs with the main 
Body. At, or neat the Top of this Tree, on feveral Places comes out 
a round, woolly, fcaly Knob, which fenfibly breaks out: into: the Flower, 
this when open is three Incheslong, has a roundifh Knob, (the Rudi- 
ment of the Fruit) on which it. ftands, from a narrow Neck above thar 
it {wells, is three Inches long, and confifts of many green Leaves, 
placed fquammatim one over another, the innermoft being the longeit, 
within which ftand two Rows of Petala, long and white, and within 
them a great many long, yellowifh Stamina witha large Stylus, to which 
fucceeds a Fruit, fticking clofe to the Stem, as big as a large Ruffeting- 
Apple; when ripe of an Orange or red Colour, having feveral little E- 
minencies, fomething like the Pine, on its Surface ; its Skin is thin, and 
contains within a red fweet Pulp, a great many fmall, black, fhining, 
crackling Seeds. . 
Oviedo fays the Chriftians call’'d thefe Cirios, becaufe, except the 
Prickles, they,look as if they were made of Wax, and that they were 
planted by the Indians, but for what he knew nor; perhaps for ‘Torches. 
Ir grows near the Sea in fandy Places, every where in the Savanna 
Woods near the Town. 
The Fruit of thisis extremely coveted by: Wood Ants. 
At is eaten to cool in this hot Country. 
Re | This 
