'" The cnlvs of the'feniale flo^vfr Is a spatbe iikc ;iK.t <:-! ihg male, contiitiing but 

 r^'ie flouer ; the ger\u is triquetrous and sessi.e,- !::! iri;>- n nicn'-v.injus wiiig cxtt'tjucd 

 h angle, kngthways, one ot" which is a.oi..' lian the rest ; the 



.. a, oF the female flower coir i^r: of" sr: i. ,r v ..:.....,. j.tats. crecto- patent, 



placed circularly on the top of ' pariicuiar calyx more than the. 



. i:iuie ones. Fro w the cent-- - ...!.. ij^to tvvo pugmas, curi~ 



<uis!y twisted. The Sowers , atei pe.iiceis, in thin 



1': : of which siisUiia i.i;: '.auic, i,i,vi aUiCK t.ic: .teiU-de, blossoms, but never 



I Th^ pedicels are ail of a pale transparent coral colour, polished and 



shilling, i"he steix-isare hranched, round, an:! jo'ii'^ed, -on which leaves grow in an a!- 

 t!-rnatc orJer, in shape like those of tii: r/'. '',.;,/// !. a'- Oi.-f t^:^r of an ape or a bat'* 

 wing, having the pedicel inserted or: -five inches long ana 



three'hroa-'i,' of a deep greehj. cbncavt:; ,....,.. ,-, ', tite extssrior mar- 



gins angled, nitd undiiiated between the angi ., two inches long, 



. ' ' : ' -e, smo; . . - nerves cdnspicuous 



t of whi,; .- leaf, or largest au~ 



!; .-, .;. nig oil lesser ones on : of^tbe -iigst-b, -the Cesser divisions, 



V. i'jii nr^ f;ix in niimber, termi;. :a,3,n an^. :e margin of the hasej and 



inore rounded lobe ordtvisionof the leaf. This plant (every part of which' is cat of tha 

 eartj,!) is tender, brittle, ^nd succulent, endued with an acid taste, !38e sorrel, but 

 leaving ah acrimony like that of the arum, though in a less degree. The lower side 

 of the leaf is nf a paier green than the iipp/;r, aud istin^-dd in many parte, very.irregu* 

 lari^' with red." 



.This plant is very common in mar.y parts of Jamaica, in woods, and on the sides Gi 

 focks rivers, and precipices. A decoction of the leaves, which have an acid-bitte? 

 taste, isjr^commended as very useful in colds. Browne says when, it grows in jthe free 

 and open air, the flowers have an agreeable flavour, and are sora.etimes used in makjag 

 whey, where wine cannot be admitted^ aa^d, other acids. tliough^ toq active and irritating 

 for the stomach. " ' 



; ; - GLOSsr. 



Shrubby, erect; lea-ves very finootb, imequally cordate, obscurely ^ootjied j 

 largest wing of the capsule roundish. . c 



This is the;purpu)'ea<)fSv/&Ttz, and he says therawztx of Browae, which is also.re- 

 ferred to above as the acvtifolia. This is described as havmg alternate- cyiindria 

 branche.-^. Leaves seven-nerved, almost entire or obscurely toothed, oiie lobe of tiiQ 

 base double the size of the other, the younger ones rose colourecj about the edge ; ail 

 very smooth and shming, bright green, paler beneath, four or five inches long and Xvt/a 

 or three broad : the petioles cyjindric, thick, spreading, oiie third the Jength of the 

 leaf: stipi>les sessile, oblong, one-nerved, as it were three-winggd fropi a rib winged 

 underneath, produced into a point : on the sides membranaceous, revoJute ; they are 

 spreading, deciduous, the length of the petiole :. racemes .eompound., cymose, andro- 

 gynous,; the malps.very numerous, the females few at the top^ solitary', axiiiary, ore 

 long pcilu'xcles, dichotomous, three inche= I'/ide ; peduncles upright, eyUndric, Ion 

 ger than the leaf, the tfxickne?s of the petiole ; bractes opposite, beJ<i,w the dichotomiije 

 and. the pedicels, half emhracing, ovate, or roundish, membranaceoaiiSj caducous: ;coj 

 ralla flesh or rose- cyloursdj sQme.ticies darker, ^''f.i-'"=T'; '.": pecaiied/ . ;;'.. 



S. ACUMINATA. 



