-BAT IICIITUS JAMAICENSIS. ?Y 



there is no e-tmg them, tlif>y arc so rc.igh and restringent, curing fluxes ; ana, when 

 <ver so ripe, they iuive a s^tipticity and ronghneijs upon the tongue, and bimling. 

 'I hey grow ';>y the side of the s<'a, and oftentimes in the sea and salt vvater, ilke the 

 mangrove, and therefore are ciiUeu, by som.-, mangrove gn'.pes. Barham, jx 63. 



This tree is ver/ frequent on all the low sandy shores. It is easily ptopagated in 

 other parts of the country by slips' or cuttings. It grows to a large size, ana is then 

 looked upon as a beantifnl v/ood for tabinetware. The berries i^re about the size of 

 common ;;r<.pcs, and, when ripe, have an agreeable flavour, but the juice is restrin- 

 gent ; antl for this quality it is remedial in fluxes, paracidarly such as may ensue from 

 clrinkmg the brackish water, common to the places where tiiey grow' adjacent to the 

 sea. There are Some other varieues of the coccoloba,^ wiiose fruit possess ths like 

 quality. Long. p. 137. .. 



This is a large crookec^ and shady tree (the leaves being broad, thick, and alniosfc 

 circular), and succeeds be.st in sundy places. It bears large clusters of grapes once a. 

 year, wnich, v.hen ripe, are not disagreeable. The stones, seeds, or acini, contained 

 in them are large in proportion, and, being reduced to a powder, are an excellent as- 

 tringent. The bark of the tree has the same property. The grapes, steeped in v/ater, 

 and fermented with sugar, make an agreeable wine, Grainger. 



The fruit is so very astringent as to cause a degree of costiveness in soms cases dan- 

 gerous. Of this I have known i?istances. It may, therefore, be a very useful m-edi- 

 cine in some loosenesses. An old la.dy I was once called to, had nearly lost her life by 

 eating too many of these grapes. She had no motion for three weeks, and it was wic^ 

 great difficulty that any were .afterwards procurdd. Dancer's M. A. p. 389. 



2. PUBESCENS. . PUBESCEXT. 

 Arhorea foliis orbiculatis intsgris. Browne, p. 210. 

 Leaves orbicuiate, jmbescent. .. 

 Jacquin mentions this species as growing to a very large size in the moisntauis of 

 Martinico, even to the height of fifty or sixty feet ; but tirowiie sayj it seldom rises 

 above eight feet in Jamaica, that ir is very common between Kingston and Bull Bay. 

 He calls it the grape tree with. whole leaves, and adds tiiat the berne^ of this species are 

 not estsemed. 



S. PUNCT.4T.i. FOINTEJO. 



Foliis oblon go ovatis vensis, uvis minor ibus punctatis. Browne, p. 

 210. 



Lea7es bnceolate, o^ate 

 This Brown calls the chequered grape tree. It is small, upright, and branched, fif 

 l-een feet high. Leaves quite entire, sub-coriaceous, veined, siiining, alternate, half 

 a foot long, commonly two ortiireeon eacii flowering branchlet, on petioles sheathing 

 at the base. Racemes terminating, simple, solitary, erect, scarcely an inch and a 

 half long. Flowers uhite. Almost the whole receptacle, with a. small part only of 

 tiie calyx, becomes a roundish drupe,, of a dark red colour, and a sweetish austere 

 taste. 



4. EXCOUUTA. 



