52 HORTUS JAMAJCENSIS. potatoes 



2. COCCIXEA. SCARLET. 



Flowers pentandrous ; leaves ovate coriaceous. 



This is a shrub two or three feet in height, erect, branched; branches and oratichlets 

 rpund, smooth. Leaves opposite, ovate, or sub-oval, scarcely. acuminate, quite en-- 

 tire, nerved, smooth, shining, underneath veined, paler, somewhat wrinkled, with a 

 convex margin, three inches long and two inches wide; peiioles short, thick, from 

 round Batted a little, smooth; stipules interposed between the leaves, broad-ovate, 

 acuminate, pressed to the stem. Flowers axillary, solitary, scarlet, on peduncles a 

 little longer than the petioles, angular, smooth, coloured; calycine leaflets acute, co- 

 loured; corolla club-funnel-form, three inches long ; tube five-cornered, at top ven- 

 tricose ; border five-cleft, segments ovate-acute, erect. Filaments the length of the 

 tube, erect, equal; anthers longitudinal, 'very long, spiral, yellow; germ oblong, 

 five-cornered, smooth; capsule roundish, crowned with the calycine leatlets, sruooth, 

 coloured. It differs from the first species in having the loaves nearly roundish or oval, 

 coriaceous, veined underneath ; the corollas smaller by half, and of a full scarlet co- 

 lour; the capsules roundish. Native of Jamaica, in the western parts, on precipices 

 tpf the mountains, but not common. It flowers there in June and July. Sw. 



Port-Morant Tobacco See Turkey Berries.. 



POTATOES. solanum: 



Ci.. 5, or. l. Pentandria monopynia. Xat. or. Lurid*. 

 Gen*, ciiau. See Calalue, branched, vol. 1, p. 141. 



tuberosum. tuberous. 



Stem unarmed, herbaceous; leaves pinnate, quite entire; peduncles sub- 

 divided. 



The common potatoes, it is generally thought, came originally from North America, 

 where they were not reckoned good for food. Tin \ wen- first, we are told, introduced 

 into Ireland in the year 1565, and from thence into England, by a vessel wrecked on 

 the western coast, called North Mcols, in Lancashire, a place and soil even now fa- 

 mous for producing this vegetable in great perfection. It was forty years after their 

 introduction, however, before iheywere much cultivated about London; and then 

 they were considered as rarities, without anv conception of the utility that might arise 

 from bringing them into common use. At this time they were distinguished from the 

 Spanish by the name of Virginian potatoes, or battatas, which is the Indian name of 

 the Spanish sort. At a meeting of the Royal Society, March isth, 1G62-3, a letter 

 was read from Mr. Buckland, a Somerset gentleman, recommending the planting of 

 potatoes in all parts of the kingdom, to prevent famine. This was referred to a com- 

 mittee; and, in consequence of their report, Mr. Buckland had the thanks of the 

 society, such members as had land were entreated to plant them, and Mr. Evelyn was 

 desired to mention the proposals at the close of his SylVa. 



In Jamaica the potatoe degenerates. It grows waxy, and acquires in time a more 

 saccharin* taste than thosejmported from Europe or America. It is not therefore much 



cultivated, 



