12 HORTUS JAMAICENSIS, Ochra 



Oak of Cappadocia See Wild Tansey, 



OCHRA. HIBISCUS. 



Cl. 16, OR. 6. Momtdelphiapolgandria, Nat, OR. Colamnifcra, 

 CJen. char. See, Changeable- Rose, p. 175. 



ESCULENTUS. ESCULENT. 



^Icea maxima, mdlvte rosea folio, fructu decirgsvo, recta, erassiore^ 

 brtviore, csculento. Sloane, v. 1, p. 223, t. 133, f. 3. Ramosus, 

 hirsutus ; joliis lobatis, irregulariter crenatis, Jructu longicri. 

 Browne, p. 2S5. 



Leaves five-parted, pedate ; inner calyxes bursting at the side. 



This rises, with a soft herbaceous sia'.k, six feet high, or more, dividing at top into 

 many alternate branches. Toe leaves are also alternate, standing singly on long round 

 panicles from six to eight inches long, having a spelling at bottom, purplish, and 

 hairy at both ends ; they are five-lobed, frequently six inches long and seven or eight 

 broad. The flowers are large, axillary, of a paie sulphur colour, with dark purple 

 bottoms. The capsules, which are an excellent emollient vegetable, are of different 

 siaes and forms in the varieties, and are generally eaten either cooked by themselves, 

 or as an ingredient in soups. It is the chief vegetable in West-India pepper-pots, and 

 renders them very palateable, rich, and nourishing. These capsules are freqcentlv siiced 

 across while green, dried, and sent to Europe, and retain for a great length <;f time, 

 in that state, their rich mucilaginous flavour and quality. As a medicine orhra mav be 

 employed in all cases where emollients and lubricants are indicated In Or. Dancer's 

 Medical Assistant a decoction of the leaves and pods is recommended in the place of 

 linseed tea. 



They ar^ very cooling, emollient, and of great nourishment; very proper for dis- 

 eases of the breast, and provoke urine, stone, and gravel, having all the virtue of tne 

 Biarsh-mallows. I advised a person that was in a deep consumption, and of a depraved 

 appetite, of a cadav< rous countenance, and a mere skeleton, to have always the dried 

 seed of the wkras by him, that he might not be without them all tiie year round; tha 

 which I ordered him to have beat into a fine dour, separating the husks from it, and so 

 to thicken all his broths or soups with this flour; which afforded hiin so much nourish- 

 ment, taking away his hectic fever, that, in less tnan.tweive months, he was as strong 

 and lusty as ever ue was all his life-time, and gave me many thanks for my advice. - 

 Bar hum, p. 123. 



See Changeable-Rose Indian Sorrel Mahoe Musk-Ocjira, 

 Ochra, Bastard \'ee Wn.n-OcuRA. 



OciUU, MU&K <&* MU3K.-Ov.liKA. 



OIL 



