2G* BOllTUS JAMA rc ENS IS.- -TDIchontjra 



Even ibe stones, though very hard, are not thrown away. They give them to their 

 camels or sheep as food, after they have bruised ihem or laid them to soften in water. 



Tiie dale, as well as other trees, exhibits great.variety in its fruit, with respect to 

 shape; sise, quality^ and even colour. Tiiere are reckx)iied to be at least twenty dif- 

 ferent kind^. Datt:s are very liahle to be pitn'ced by worms, and they soon corrupt in- 

 Dioist or rainy weather. 



From, v.'hat has bt:en said itniay easily he perceived tli at there are but few trees 

 that are used for so rrjany and so valuable purposes as. the datti tree .; which must oc- 

 casion a deep regret that the cultivation of it has not been more attended to in this 

 island. W have had the bread-fruit from the South Seas and the date ^from Arabia^ 

 but what general or real use can be e.x]j.ected fronxthem if so little care is taken to pro- 

 pagate them as has hitherto been the cas<?. 



Dates are principally tised in medicine.; tbeir oitalitiesare to soften the asperities of' 

 the gullet, to strengthen the foetus in the womb, to ass-uage all immoderate riuxes of 

 the belly, rnd to ease disorders of the reins and bladtler. Their bad property is that 

 they are difiicuit of digestion, cause pains in the head, andproiluce thick melancholic 

 blood. These elfects arise froui the principles they contain, which are^ a raoderare 

 share of oil, and a deal of phlegm and essential. salt. The oil and phlegm render them 

 moistening and nutritious, good again.st acrimoihesof the breast, to -ats^uage coughs, 

 &Ci and tne phlegm and salt render them detersive ami astringent, and good against 

 diseases of the throat. Cha)iibt:r''s Ci/clopedia, 



The Dad Tree. ^The unripe fruits are very harsh and binding, .and the ripe, also 

 while they are fresh, but not so when they are dry. They stop vomiting and fluxes, 

 and checlf the menstrual discharge ; they are also proper for relaxation of tha fuuda- 

 auent.and piles, being taken in red wmQ.Barham, p, 129. 



-David's Root i'ee Snowbekry. 



No English Name. DICHONDRA. 



Cl. 5, OR. 2. Pentandria digyniii. NaT; or. Aspeyifolice. 



This name is derived from two Greek words signifying double grained, because eacli' 

 flower has two seeds. 



Gen. cjiar. Calyx fve-leaved, leaflets ob-ovate, netted -ner\-ed, haiiy without^ 

 corolla nioiwpetalous, inferior, rotate, sub-campanulate, five-cleft, the length 

 of the calyx ; the stamens are tive filameuts, with roundish anthers ; the pisiib 

 have two hairy germs, divaricate styles, and capitate stigmas ; the pericarp, two 

 globular capsules,, subliirsute, one-celled ; seeds -one in each cell, globuJai:. 



PPENS. CREEPING. 



Leaves silky below. 



This has a prostrate stem-, creeping, hrancbed, round; leaves alternate, petioled, 

 erect, kidney-shaped, sometimes emarginate, above almost naked, below silky, radi- 

 ate- veined ; petioles roumi^nd silky ; iiowers siiiall, rather nodding, on axillary, hli* 



foita* 



