jp fJORTUS JAMAlCEK.ffS.- K#n 



Rqftt small, anBUftl... simple, fdamentese ; stem tbrce or four inches brgi-i, very 

 seldom divided, jointed., round, scarcely striated', sonteSwdiat hirsute*: haying very 

 minute red dots on it, a id a scattered shagginess among .the petioles, grooved, brittle. 

 Leaves small] on very short petioles, alternate^ attenuated towards the t-;\ blunt, 

 entire, veiniess, nerveless, bristly-ciiiat* on the upper surlV.cc towards the ^"ge, 

 somewhat succulent, smooth, pale.underneath. Spike' terminating, filiform, simple; 

 fio' ers v rj minute; calyx none, but a ro mulish little scale covering the perm; by 

 the sides of which are two filaments, the length of the germ, uprigftt ; anthersround- 

 idi, twin, white; germ Oblong, attenuated at the base; st\!e none; stigma vilto e, 

 oblique; berry on $ pedicel three times as lang as the germ, containing one seed*; 

 uhen ripe it is the size of a small pin's Lead, o! h colour and aromatic flavour. 



I ath e off Jamaica i r i t!ic coo! mountains oti trunl s of trees) especially such as are r jtteri, 

 hanging dox-A among the moss, and flowering in summer Szt). 



16. AMPL1XIC.4T LE. STEM- EMBttACJNG. 



Sub-herbaTeoUS, leaves lanceo'ate-ovate, embracing, nerved, fleshy; stem 

 erect, simple. 



This-is a sub-herbaceons plant; stem unos simple, a foot high, hardish, slightly 

 fiexpose, angular, compressed, grooved, smooth, rigid; leaves alternate, narrower 

 1 ow, blunt at the tip, quite entire, tljickish, brightgreen. Peduncles, sub- terming 

 attng, axillary, solitary, erect; on very long, nearly upright round spikes, sometimes-. 

 Conjugate; flowers very mirjute. Itiseasi di ;uished by the leaves embracing the 

 stem. Native of Jamaica on rotten trees, and among the remains of those which have 

 fallen. -fc'. 



17. I " I'M. SMOOTH. 



Herbaceous, leaves o.Vate-'acuminate; stem declined, rooting, very much 

 branched. 



Stems vary long, crowded, procurolient or declining, rooting, leafy, roundish, 

 even; leaves alternate, quite entire, (he, ih ; . '.kish, even; imrves five, distinct at the 

 back of the leaf; petioles shortish, channelled, red at the base. Spikes filiform, 

 nearly upright, sometimes hooked, terminating, or lateral, opposite to the petic4e& 

 peduiicled, solitary or conjugate. The colour of the whole plant is pale green; it is 

 nearly allied in acuminatum, but differs in having a weak stein, very much branched, 

 somewhat cr< id ro'omrg ; the leaves . les*, and not so thick ^ 



spikes smaller, shorter. The P. < of*Swartz is a variety of this. 



IS. SI pPENi. SLCPhNT. 



Herbaceous, leaves roundish-acute, flat, discoloured ; sicra creeping. 



Stem puts forth capillary fibres on every side, is filiform, sub-divided, angular, 

 smooth, leafy; leaves alternate, roundish, but greater in width than length, retyseas 

 it were at the base, blunt, with a. very short point, half an inch in breadth, entire, 

 flat, somewhat succulent, veiniess, smo&th 6'n both sides, paler underneath ; peti . 

 shorter than the leaves, spreading, round, smooth. Spikes peduncled, round, half 

 an inch in length, upright; peduncles av.llnry, longer than the leaves, round, smooth, 

 solitary; flowers so minute as not to be distinguished by the naked eye, seperated by 

 ovate scales; filaments scarcely any; anthers two, by the side of the gei n; germ 

 ovate-acute; style none; stigmas three; fruit very minute, ovate-acute, # ssile. It 



b. e. 



