vlWuiAM HORTUS JAMAICENST?. 403 



angular on the other, naiTOwing- upwards, of a dirty white colour. Seeds soljlary, of 

 an o'Dloiig spiieroidal form, but wrinkled by age, shaped us tiie' berry is externally, rii- 



fescent, terminated at top by the umbilical chard. The ilowers of this, as well as the 

 other species, are frequenily eaien in Fallads. isaving a warm spicv, agt-eeable taste 

 lik'j garden cress. B\ distillation with water they impregnate the Hui I with ttieir smell 

 and Havour; anj are considered as an agreeable warm antiscorbutic Being very beau- 

 tiful, til.' fluwers and leaves are often used for the ]3urpose of garnishing dishes. Tho 

 plant itself is a great ornament, when trained to run on walls or fences, which it will 

 do CO a considerable distance. The seeds are said to make a good pickle, resembling 

 capers. The flowers ha-.e been observed to emit electric sparks towards evening. Tlio 



' Frencli call it le grandc cupucme. 



2. MINUS. SMAIX. 



Leaves peltate, sub-re;pand, mucronate; petals acute. 



This plant is smaller than the other, which distinguishes it, as well as, the points a<) 

 tlit cop of the petals, and at the en is of the nerves in the leaves It is also a trailing 

 and ornamental plant; the leaves almost circular, smooth, greyish ; flowers axillary, 

 on long peduncles, the same colour and half the size of the former. 



INDIAN CURRANT-BUSH. MELASTOMA 



0,1.. 10, OR. 1. Dccandria monogi/nia. Nat. or. Calijcanthemcp. 



This was so named from two Greek words signifying black and a mouth, as the pulp 

 f the fruit blackens the mouth on eating it. 



Gen. char. Calyx a one-leafed perianth, bell-shaped, ventricose at the base, four 

 or five-cleft, permanent; the corolla has four or five petals, roundish, inserted 

 into the throat of the calyx ; stamens eight or ten, inserted into'the calyx, short; 

 anthers long, somewhat curved, upright, one-celled, gaping at the top, with aa 

 oblique hole; scalelets two, very small, diverging, annexed to each filament below 



the anther, the ruchment of another cell ; the pistil has a roundish germ, in the 

 belly of the caljTv ; style filiform, straight-, stigma bluirt, or headed; the peri- 

 carp a berr}', two, three, four, or five-celled, wra]3ped up in tlie calyx, roundish, 



crouned with a cylindric rim; seeds very manj-, nestling. No less than thirty-two 



.species of tins numerous family of plants have been discovered in Jamaica, and it 



^s supposed many more may be found. 



STheJoUowingMre ten-itamencd, with three-nerved leaves : 



1. HOLOSF.RICEA. VELVET. 



'Crossuhin'ir Ji ucru arbor viaxiina non spinosa malahathri folio integr^ 

 minore suh/usjerrugiiieo. Sloane, v. 2, p. 85, t. I;i6', f. 2. ./Ir- 

 torescens, Joliis ovatis subtus cino'^is, racemis ttrminatricitus, fio- 

 ribiu majcribus. Browne, p. 219. 



Leaves entire, three-nerved, sessile, ovate-acute, villose- silky ; racemes bra- 

 ciuate ; branches two-parted ; stem acutely-quadrangular. 

 Stem shrubby, rough-haired, with membranaceous corners. Leaves cordate at the 

 "Qaase, acuminate, whuish underneath, nine-nerved, with three thicker;, racemes op- 



F f f 2 posite, 



