e%i^ IlOliTUS JAMAICENSiS. 'T^OG*f 



lathsime super arlxyres vel campos se exUndtns. Sloaie, vl, p. 

 I'Ol, t. 128, f. 4. liamosa rtpens,.f.oribus covglovieratis. Browne, 

 p. 14;:>. ' . 



Flowers peduncled. 



This is a parasitical plant,- "ven' braiiclnng, leaflets ;twiningj tender, shining', and' 

 yellowish ; common peduncles very short ; flowers small, without scent, aggregate, 

 whitisli ; calyx withering, hve-cleft ; seeds two, three, or onl}- one, arri\iiig at maiu- 

 rity. Nectiiry five-lVinged, converging scales fastened to the petal helow the sUinicns; 

 filaments always five.- Jacy^uiii- According to Swartz, the seeds are roundisli, andt 

 four in each capsule.- Browne says tiiis plant is frequently fouiid crcepjng on the grass 

 and lower bushes in Jamaica, and thvit it has, always beea esteeoaed as a diuretic and 

 tipcritivc, and formerly used sis an ingredient in-scrae of the compositiojos of the shops. 



Dodder is a strange sort of a plant, running over and destroying every plant it comes 

 near, therefore is jcalled by some lieil-Weed, or devil's guts. It hath strong yellow 

 Jilaments, by which it stretches over very large and high trees, covering the plant, 

 which it feeds' on, and destroying it.- The flowers are vvhitS and Conglomeratetl ; it 

 Lath a pale coloured seed, somewhat fiat, and twice as big as poppy-seed. This de- 

 vouring weed generally takes after the quality and properties of tiie j>lant on which it 

 grows; but in general it Lath a tf.thartic equality, and opens obstructions, &.c. Bar-i 

 ham, p. 52. 



Tlie following species of this curious plant is noticed in Mr. A. Robinson's manu-. 

 script ; 



" Floribus peduncidalis pentondris ncctariisfrnbricatis anther Is didymis. 



' The nectareous squama? adhere not to the stamina but to the corolla a little be- 

 neath, ihey are oi a triangular form, and iiave their edges beautifully fimbriated; 

 there are two anthers on the top of each stamen. The toji of the germ is divided into 

 four equal parts, by two furrows which intersect each otiier. The negroes of Liguanea 

 mountains call it love-bush. I saw it winding about a 3"0uug tree where a neoro woman- 

 had thrown it, or^ purpose to propagate it. It is_ plain Dr. Browne has not distin- 

 guished this from the common cusciita. The petals are lanceolated ; the stamens ever 

 two in number, and more than twice the length of the petals. Oi} the centre of tha 

 periauth is a hollow nectareous gland, on whose margin the stamens are placed." 



DOG'S-TAIL GRASS.- CYNOSURUS. 



Cl. 3, OR. 2. Triandria digynia, Nat. or. Gramino'. 



This name is derived from two Greek words signifying dog's-tail, which the gi-asa 

 resembles. 



Gen. CHAR. Calyx a common unilateral receptacle; glume many flowered, two- 

 valved ; valves linear-acuminate, eq\ial ; corolla two-valved ; nectary two^ieaved ; 

 stamens three capillary filaments, with oblong anthers ; the pistil has a turbinate 

 germ, two villose reflex styles, and simple stigmas ; there is no pericarp ; corolla 

 closely plaiting over the seed, and not gaping; seed single, oblong, acuminate 

 tQ each end. Two species are natives of Jamaica. 



1. VIRGATU&K 



