29ii H'ORTUS JAMAICENSIS. fingmod 



it then puts out little branches like a withe, which grew clo'.VTi%vards to the ground, 

 where they take root, growing bigger and stronger like suits, and then spreading on 

 the toj), they overcome p.ud destroy its first supporter. There is botii vviiite and red, 

 but both very soft, iike deal, of which the negroes mtike bowls, trays, and spoons. -i- 

 Its fruit is about the bigness of an apricot. Tliey arc as large as the cotton-tree, but 

 seldom straight. That which hath a reddish wood, I am of opinion, the bulsani caphj^ 

 is got from, or at least a balsam may be got as good. Barliam, p. 59. 



The ficus tincto7'ia, a native of the Society islands, caWed via/lee, is in the Hortas 

 Eastensis, it was brought to Jamaica in his Majesty's skip Providence, and is used s 

 a dye wood. 



FINGRIGO OR COCfvSPUR, PTSOTsHA. 



Cl. 23, OR. 2. Polygamia dioccia. Nat. or. Ni/ctagines. 



This genus was named in honour of William Piso, a physician of Amsterdam, autlior 

 of a Natural History of Brasil. 



Gen. char. Male calyx scarcely any ; corolla one-peta!ed, bell-sliaped, five-cleft, 

 segments acute, patulous; the stamens are five, six, or seven, awl-shaped fila- 

 ments, with roundish twin antliers ; the pistil has sn obiong germ, a short style, 

 and a pencil-shaped stigma. The female calyx and corolla as in the oriale ; "the 

 pistil has an oblong germ ; a style simple, cylindrical, longer than the corolla, 

 trect, with bifid stigma; the pericarp is an oval berry, often five-cornered, valve- 

 less, one-ceiled ; seed single, smooth, o^jlong. Swartz classes this genus Jiep- 

 tandi'ia monogynia. Two species are natives of Jamaica. 



1. ACULEATA. -PRICKLY. 



J'aliuro affinis arbor spviosa, flore racemoso herbaceo penfapefaJoide, 

 J^ructu sicca nudo cannulato lappaceo. Sloane, v. 2, p. 25, t. 167, 

 f. 3, 4. ^ssurgc7is, sarmcnto -alido, folii!! o-iiatis utrinque produc- 

 tis, spinis vaiiiis recurvi^, racemis laieraUbus. Browne, p. 35S. 

 Spines axillary, spreading ver}' much. 



This plant rises eight or nine feet high, with reclining branches, and requiring sup- 

 port, h'om neighbouring trees, which it turns round. The branches, twigs, and 

 spines, are always opposite ; the latter awl-shaped, acuminate, axillary, perpendicular 

 to the branch, strong, recurved at the points. Both twigs and prickles make a cross 

 with those immediately under them. Tiiis tree is often bare of leaves, and the flowers 

 shoot first on corymbed racemes, branched, axillary, and terminating, not reachino- 

 beyond the leaves, but, when in fruit, much elongated. The flowers are small, green- 

 ish-yellow, numerous, supported by three awl -shaped bractes, if the flower terminates 

 the branchlet of the raceme, but with two only if it is placed at the side of it, the ra- 

 ceme itself then serving for the third. To the flower succeeJs an oblong, cannulated, 

 rough, naked, brown, large, seed, sticking to any thing by means of crooked points. 

 After the fruit is perfected come tlie leaves, at the ends of the twigs, oval, acute, quite 

 entire, 3uioot|i, petioled^ about twg inched aud a half long aad oae broad^ of a dark 



greea 



