yiiANTAIW 



HORTUS JAMAICEXSIS. 71 



of the earth by its fibres, which strike deeply, and are whitish : leaves petiolcd, seven to 

 wine ribbed, somewhat hairy when young, about a hand in length, often remotely 

 toothed about the edge. Petioles long, convex r.n the under side, concave above, 

 each forming a kind of sheath at its bake ; scapes upright, pubescent, longer than the 

 leaves. Spikes cylindrical, very long, linear, composed o'f many closely imbricate 

 ilowers, under cadi of which is a lanceolate concave bracte; Divisions of the calyx 

 ovate, concave, blunt, smooth, nearly equal ; anthers purple, two-celled, each cell 

 terminating at bottom in a point; style villose. Capsule superior, covered with the 

 shrivelled corolla, papery; seeds few. Browne observes that "this plant, whether 

 introduced here originally, or a native, is very common in most parts of the island, 

 especially in the cooler mountains*} it is indeed found in many places where we have 

 no reason to think it had ever been cultivated by the human species, but birds might 

 probably have done tire work. Every part of the plant is considered as a gentle su 

 astringent; the seeds are frequently used in vulnerary waters and mixtures; ami the 

 leaves often applied with success to sores and wounds." The seeds afford food 

 for birds, and cattle eat the leaves* For an [Hemorrhage of blood, lake as much 

 English plantain leaf as when squeezed will fill a table spoon with the juice, which is 

 to-be drank, and the dose repeated at intervals as wanted. This simple application 

 lias never been found to fail. The juice of this plant is a good eye-water. 



Inwardly used, the leaves have been found beneficial in pthisical complaints, spitting 

 of blood, and fluxes-. The seeds, however, seem better adapted to relieve pulmonary 

 complaints, being more mucilaginous. The roots have also been recommended for 

 the cure of tertian internments. An "ounee or two of the expressed juice, or the like 

 quantity of strong infusion, may be given for a dose ; in agues the dose should be 

 double, and taken at the commencement of the fit. Plantain is said to be a cure for 

 the bite of the rattle-snake, but probably witlriittle foundation, although it is one of 

 the. principal ingredients in the remedy of the negro Cesar, who, for the discovery,, 

 received m considerable reward from the assembly of South Carolina. . 



PEANTAIN-TREE. MUSA. 



CK 23, OR. 1. Polygamia monoecia. Nat. or. Scitamine<e. 

 This received its generic name in memory cf Antonius Musa, the freedman of 

 Augustus. 



Gen. char. Hermaphrodite flowers more, towards the base of the simple spadix, 

 seperate .in alternate spathes : -Calyx- a partial ovate-oblong spathe, plano-con- 

 cave, large, many-flowered; corolla unequal, ringent ; the- petal-constituting the 

 ft tipper lip, but the nectary the under lip j -petal erect, ligulate, truncate, five- 



toothed, converging in front at the. base; nectary one-leafed, cordate, boat- 

 shaped, compressed, acuminate, spreading outwards, shorter than the petal, in- 

 f. serted within the sinus of the petal; stamens six awl-shaped filaments, five of 



which within the petal are erect, the sixth, within the nectary, reclining; anthers 

 linear, _from the middle to the top fastened to the filament, but most frequently 

 there is only one anther on the sixth filament, and very small ones oi none on she 

 rest; the pistil has a very large germ, obtusely three-sided, very long, inferior ; 

 stjde cyliudric, erect, (lie length of the petal ; stigma headed, roundish, ob- 

 scurely -. . 



