'^ '^ rv;^^ l-I O E T U 3 J A Tvl A T C E N S I S. :i.^ 



. TeiiPvi in the rarth, nntl ot' ahrowf.ish vi^iiite rolour; the stem ']> tfom hvn to thvrr foot 

 liigh, jointed, and becoming vroody at the bottom. The leaves spring; from the 'loiiit-* 

 and are oblong, three inches lonsr ;md half as broad, of a deep e;rcen and veined,' 

 plaeed altcrnaiel)" on short footstalks. The tops of the branches are fora foot in lengtli, 

 withont an}- leaves, but set close on every .s-ide with white tetrapetalous flowers, sessile, 

 very small, making no-fjgure; tke seed is cnneiform, oblong, with an obscnre ridge 

 on. one side, and a depressed line on tbeother, arnred at top with fonr pungent spines, 

 at first almost npright, but afterwards reflet ted to the baok, of a bay or paie green co- 

 lour. It grov.-s in sJiady woods and savannas in snc!> plenJy.as to bee* iie a tronldesomfi 

 weed. Its root and all parts abonnd with verv volatile particles, like the- horse radJisiv- 

 root, and so remarkaidy acrid tliiit the smell qr taste can hardly be borne. On chewing 

 alittleof.it, itburns-the mouth and leaves the tongue dry, black,, and rough, as it 

 aj)pears in a malignant fvs^er. !t,as much caveted by Guinea hens, whence the name 

 is derived. Its. juice has been used in hysteriic fits instead of other fa-ird droyjs, with 

 succes.s ; and seems wxill adapted to the purpose when fresh scraped aiad bruised, and 

 might serve, instead of mustard, for atJplving to the feet in fevers. As this plant en- 

 dures niiirh droiTght, it remains green when oti>ers are burned up, when cattle will 

 feed upon it, and it has been o!)seivcd to give their nnik tiie taste of garlic, and to 

 communicate an intolerable rankhess to th^u" flesh, especially to their kidneys ; whicli, 

 however, goes ofi'tn aboiit a fortnight, oi> their being fed on good grass. Sloanc 53.3-3 

 that a piece of the root,, put into a hollow, tooth, cm'es its aching. Barhaui calls it 

 coal, ^nd speaks of it as follows : : 



" This htrb is famous in the histories of Peru, the Tncliarrs fancying it adds much to 

 their strengih j- others affirm, that they use it for charms ; as for instance, when tho 

 min_e or ore is hard to work,' ttiey throw upon it a ha-ndful of tins herb chewed, and 

 immediately get out, the said ore with more ease and in greater. qivantity, as tliey lancy. 

 Fisliermen aiso put som.e of this he.rb chewed to their hook, when they can take no fish, 

 and the art; said to have better success thereupon. ; lii short, they apply it to so many 

 uses, most of them bad, that the Spaniiirds prohiiiit the use of it ; for they believe it 

 liatli none of those eftects, but that what the. attribute to it is done by the compact the 

 Indians have with the devil - The leaf is a little smooth,, and less nervous than that o 

 the pear- tree ;. the shrub dnes.not grow above four or five feet high. The greatest 

 quantity erows about thirty leagues from Cicada^' among the Yiinnas, on the frontiers 

 of the iunghos. The taste of it is so har.sh', that it 3eas tiie tongues of such as are not 

 used to it ; it occasions the spitting of a loathsome froth, and makes the Indians who 

 chew It continually stink abominably. It is said to supply the want of food, and that, 

 by the h^lp oi it, a man may live several days without eating, and not be sensibly 

 weakened. It is thought to fasten the teeth, and take away their distempers ; and ifet 

 answers iu tdl respects liie purposes of tobacco." Barham, p. 43. 



GUINEA PEPPERS. CAPSICUM. 



Cli. 5, OR. I. Penlandriavionogi/nia. Nat. or. Lurkla. 



Some derive the generic name from a Greek word signifying to bite, on account of 

 the biting heat of its fruit ; others from capsa, a chest. 



G^,,CHAR. Calyx a onc-leafcd perianth, five-cleft, erect, permanent ; corol'hvr 



2i z'Z nion9petaioir;j|^ 



