feOMfiM H0RTU3 ^AMAICF.NSIS, 27 



fcave a singular and very strong smell, like anise-se ' > : I vith. chen'il leaves ; fruit 

 larger than a pigeon's egg ; tue perica black, and reJ, and 



so full of oil as to run out on being very slight'y press* I ', with longitudinal 



interrupted whitish streaks. Jacquin. 



Sloane describes a head of this tree brought to him from Guinea, as follows : 

 "Roundish, about a foot and a half long, and onein diameter. The mlikearqpe, 

 two inches m diameter, compose i of'Strong brown fibres. From eve v part of the s'te 

 issued crooked prickly petioles, about six inches long. Between the pti :kles lay tho 

 fruit, much less, but in shape and celonr resembtiig a ches'nut; each nut was sur- 

 rounded by two or three brown scales, and covered with a pulp full )(' oil, of a i affi 1 1 

 colour, and -smelling like violets ; each nut had a fibrous hilus. Under the oilv pulp 

 lay a hard brown shell, covered over with fibres, and about the size of a filberd, i:i- 

 closing a white, hard, lignose, kernel. Of the leaves are made mats ; and wine is got 

 from a hole cut in -the top. The oil tinges water of a \cllow colour, and soap may be- 

 made of it." 



The palm-tree, from which the oil and wine are got. It i-; from the fruit that thev 

 get oil ; when they are thorough ripe, there is, between the outward s\in and the 

 stone, a yellow pulpy sweet substance^ tins pulp turns to a thick oil, like butter, as it 

 grows old, and of a reddish-yellow colour ; i.lso, the inward kernel turns to oil in the 

 same manner. It is an excellent suppling oil ; the traders for slaves, when they expose 

 them for sale, shave them "Very close, and then anoint their bodies, limbs, and joints, 

 with it, which makes them look smooth, sleek, and young. From the body of the tree 

 by tapping, and the branches before they have fruit, they get a liquor which is called 

 palm-wine, and so strong as will inebriate or cause drunkenness. liar hum, p. 130. 



This tree is not so frequent in Jamaica as it deserves, being chiefly cultivated bv the 

 negroes only. The nu is are covered with an oily pulp; wdien they are roasted, they 

 taste very much like the outside fat of roasted mutton. The oil is obtained by boiling 

 the nuts in water, when- the oleaginous particles rise to the surface, and are skimmed 

 off. and strained for use. 



The negroes are fond of this oil, which sometimes makes it an ingredient in their 

 food ; but they oftener apply it by way of embrocation, for strains, or to discuss rheu- 

 matic aches, for which purpose it is very efficacious. Long, p. 740. 



PALMETO-ROYAL, or THATCH, TREE. THRINAX. 



Cl. 6, OR. 1. llerandria monogynia. NaT. OR. Palmte. 

 Gen. CHAR. -Calyx Spathe universal, compound ; spadix simple, branched, imbri- 

 cate with proper spathes, in decussated spikes; perianth minute, six-toothed; 

 no corolla ; stamens six filaments, short, filiform, inserted into the base of the 

 germ; anthers large, erect, bifid at the base and lop ; the pistil has a half-infe- 

 rior ovate germ, surrounded by the calyx ; style thickish, short ; stigma widish, 

 compressed, retuse, emarginate; the pericarp a one-celled naked berry ; seed a 

 single kernel, covered with a bony shell. There is only one species, which is a 

 native of Jamaica. 



D 2 FARVlfLOIU. 



