52 JIORTUS JAMAICENSIS. earleru 



Sloane tribes it amongst the bastard senna's, for this comes the nearest of any in Ame- 

 rica, and, when dried and old, it is very diificult to distingtush one trom tiie other ; 

 and as for virtues, I have often exjjerienced it to have the same with tiiat of Alexandria; 

 besides which, a decoction of tiic leaves or Hewers has a wonderful power to move or 

 force the menstrua in women. The flowers make a dehcate red purging s^vrup, and 

 the root dyes a scarlet colour. The whole plant is full of short sharp jjriekies, branch- 

 ing and spreading very large, with beautiful flowers, red mixed with \e!low, on which 

 are a great number of thrums like saffron ; the leases, when green, are of tiie shape of 

 indigo ; the pod is in siiape of the E:iglish broom pods, or like the senna of Aiesan- 

 ckia ; when ripe and dry it is black, couainiiig five or six flat seeds, cordated, and of 

 a dark-gre(;nish colour. This shrub is luUest of llovvcrs in the months of November and 

 December, and the seed is lipa in January. Baikam, /;. i6. 



A drachm of the powdered seeds of the Barbadocs pride, is said to give ease in the 

 belly-ache, when taken inwardly. For this purpose it has been asserted to exceed opi- 

 ates or any other mediciae vet known, being not in the least unpleasant to the taste, 

 giving quick relief, and making way for gentle kixatives to be exmbited. For obstruc- 

 tiuns tiie foilovving has been recomiiiended : take of tiie root of 'J3arbad(jes pride, of the 

 bulk of trumpet- tree root, and sarsajiarilia root, alike quantity, boil and use tne decoction. 



See BRAZiLLhlo. 



B.'\RBADOES Wild Olive See Wild Olive. 

 Bark Tree Sec Mahoe. 



No English Name. BARLERIA. 



Cl. 14, OR. 2. Didynamia angioaperniia. Nat. OR.- Personafa. 



This name was given by Plunder in honour of the Rev. James Barreiier, a Domini- 

 can and M. D. of Paris. 



Gen. CHAR Calyx four-]iarted, two opposite leaflets larger; corolla one leafed, 

 funnel-form, quinquiiid, fifth division tleeper ; stamina iiliforin, two vcry short, 

 capillary ; anthers upper oblong, lower withered -^ the pistil lias an ovate germen, 

 style length of the stamens, stigma bifid ; capsule acute, two-ceUed, two-vatved, 

 g.ping eiasticaliy at Uie claws ; ^eeds Xvjo, compressed, rotindish. Two sptcies 

 grow in this island : 



I. EUXIFOLIA. BOXLEAVED. 



Spines axillary, opposite, solitary ; leaves roundish, quite entire. 

 This plant has shrubby stalks, five or six feet high, wita strong spines under the 

 leaves. Tbe tlowers.are produced in whons toward i-iie upper part ol tue stalk ; these 

 are succeeded by siiort seed vessels, coutaining t.iree or four flat seeds. l\ is said to be 

 a native ol Jamaica. 



2. PRIONITIS. THORNY. 



Spines axillary, pedate, fourfold, leaves roundish, quite entire. 



Stem herbaceous, round, stiif. Loaves opposite, running down the petioles, pu 



bgscciit 



