cen.vTOE' KORTUS JA M AICEN SI S. e?>4 



prOiUiced on one side of the centre, atinujvlly from the same plant, ?.nd the {eaves 

 T more cxiianded thun in this geiuis. 



AMiimCANA. AMER,ICA>f, 



Alve secunda scu folio in o'ol tiiUDti, aculeum abcuy}te. Sloane, v. T,' 

 p. l.'4ti. Foliis stib-cnmprfssix vmcronatis, ad nmrgincs spiiiaao- 

 daitutis ; siapo zululu uisufi^cnii, raaino soatioso ramuso. B/u.wueji 

 p. 199. 



Stemloss ; leaves tooth-thoray. 

 ;'here are but few j)ian^s more common titan this in Jamaica. It grows naturally irt 

 ttit! most barren rocky hills, and, when it flowers, affords tiie mosL pleasing sight of 

 any sliriib or plant irj. that part ct the world. This curious ])i:'.iuthrov.'s out some sharp- 

 pointed, indented, leaves, that spread into a Uitt about the root at first, and continue 

 to increase, though slowly, hoth in si?e and rpiantity^f foliage, for many years : at 

 length it acqnircs a ccTtain degree of perfection, and then throws up a stem from the 

 centre of its leaves, which generally rises to the height of eight ov t^-n feet above the, 

 root. This is simple and iii.ked immediateiy above the leaves, hut yery much divided 

 and branched towards the top, where it bears almost an infinite numlier of nioderatclsf 

 large ^ el lov/ flowers, by whicli it may be distii^gnished for many miles. The stalk ia 

 very short during the'first stage of the plant, and the leaves disposed c'iosely togetlier, 

 standing in an ablique or ececto- patent position, and shooting giadualiv' one above an- 

 other, while a few of those nearest to the ground wither wholly auay; but', when it 

 begins to throw up a stalk, the circulation grows very strong, and this'part is generallj' 

 completed, and fully aviorned with its blossoms, in a few weeks. The natural opera- 

 tions of propagation are tlicn carried on with great vigour, and the whole top soon after 

 appears adorned v/ith a thousand vegetated seeds, or rather plants, furnished with a 

 convenient number of roots and leaves, to seek SJ^A raise the necessary food whenever 

 they fall from the parent stalk ; but this seldom happens until they have acquired a 

 stated degree of perfection, and then they are blown olf gradually by every vnnd that 

 shakes the withering stem, which, with the leaves, now dies gradually away, and ends 

 its life with the completion of the last,-!eaving so many thousands to renevv the kind. 

 The leaves of this plant are pretty succulent, and generally used to scour both floors 

 and kitchen utensils, which it does admirably well. Tlie pulp is a warm pungent de- 

 tersi^'C, and would probably prove a very active medicine in many cases, properly pre- 

 parecKand administered. The inward spungy substance of the deca3'ed stalk takes fire 

 very readily-, when thoroughly dried, and for this reason is generally used instead o|" 

 tinder. Browne^ / 



The following observations on this vegetable are from the manuscript of Mr. A 

 Jlobinson : 



" The leaves of one of these plants measured five feet and a half in length, at the 

 base next the stem they measured six inches in breadth and four and a half in thicknesSj 

 about twelve inches from the stem they measured but five inches in breadth, whence 

 they increased in breadth and thickness, their greatest breadth being about twelve 

 inches, decreasing from thence to their extremity, where they end in a thorn, which 

 is not very strong. The leaves ^re lightly dented on their' margins, wnich are fur- 

 nished with sharp but very short thorns,: hooked inwardly, hardly exceeding the eighth 

 part pf an inch in length : The leaves grow circularly in an erecto patent posture, and 



H h 2 are 



