256 HORTUS JAMAICENSIS. eyebright 



EYEBRIGHT. EUPHORBIA. 



Cl. 11, OR. 3. Dodtcandria trigijnia. Nat. OR. Tricoccoe. 



This is derived from Euphorbus, physician to King Juba. 



Gen. char. Calyx a one-leafed perianth, inflated, somcwirat coloured, fonr-toothed 

 at the mouth, in some fivetoothed, permanent ; corolla four-petals, some five^ 

 turbinate, gibbou**, thick, truncate, unequal in situation, alternate with the teeth 

 of the calyx, with their claws on their margin, permanent; the stamens several 

 filaments (twelve or more), filiform, jointed, inserted into the receptacle, longer 

 tlian the corolla, brealiing forth at different times ; anthers twir;, roundish ; the 

 pistil has a roundish- germ, triccccous, three-celled, starting open elasiiraliy- p. 

 fceeds solitary, roundish. Eleven species are natives of Jamaica, the following, 

 aud those described under spurgts. 



MAC C LATA. SPOTTED. 



Chamctsyce. Sloahe, v. 1, p. 198, 

 Leaves serrate, oblong, hairj- ; flowers axillaiy, solitary ; branches patulous. 

 This is an acrid and milky plant, readily springing from the seed, and gro.ving com- 

 monly in Jamaica. The stems are numerous, and spread close to the ground ; leaves 

 oblong, obtuse, and sometimes acute, obscurely denticulated on the s*!})erio4- part^ 

 smooth on the surface, but edged with hair on the l)ack and margin, extremely nu- 

 merous, green, or red, or deep purple, and sometimes spotted, thickly crowded on 

 the tips of the branches in particular; flowers very small, on very short Ibotstalks front 

 the bosoms of the leaves ; calyx green, j)etals red, capsule haiiy. 



This is a sort of thyme, the smallest spurge of them all, and the most common, for 

 it grows every where, even in the streets, between paved .stones and bricks. I have 

 known several persons use it, with good success, to take oft' the spots or films on the 

 eyes, that have come after the small-pox, and that by only dropping the nnikv juice 

 into them ; but I should think it more safe to mix it with a little honey, for it eats off 

 all sorts of warts. The people in Jamaica call it eye-brigiit, lor its great cures to the- 

 eyes. Barham, p. 182. 



It is mentioned by Sloane, "^hat, boiled with victuals or sallet, this plant locsens the 

 belly ; and tliat wriung with its j idee is not discovered but by ashes. 



'See Spurges, 



Fai* 



