175 II OUT US JAMAICENSIS IxsSW 



axillary, opposite to the brainblets, loose, simple, or subdivide], scarcely longer than , 

 the leaves, many-flowered ; flowers. pedui*eled, usually in pairs, directed one way, pale 

 yellow : calyx small ; tube of the corolla ventricose, slightly five-cornered, border five 

 cleft; segments ovate, acute, spreading: filaments short, f'rofti the bottom of tlie co- 

 rolla, villose ; anthers linear, the length of the verifcriose tube ; style thickening toward! 

 the top ; stigmas two, blunt; berry snow-white ; seeds two, oblong acuminate-. This 

 plant is very nearly allied to tbe genus psychojrra ; but it differs not Only in the manner 

 of flowering, which is always in a raceme, but also in the form of the corolla, the berry, 

 and tlie seeds. Sw. 



This plant grows very common in the lower hills of Jamaica, especiallj' those between 

 Spanish-Town and St. Faith's ; it begins to branch immediately above the root, rises 

 by many shoots and slender tuigs, from four to seven or eight feet, sometimes more; 

 but,, when so luxuriant, it requires 1 1 be supported by some of the neighbouring shrubs, 

 without which it would not be able to stand. The flower-spikes are very slender and 

 numerous towards the top of the branches, and shcot from them as uell as from the ahe 

 of the upper leaves, or lesser branches ; the berries-are of a snowy colour, and loose 

 texture, very numerous, and of a round but somewhat compresseS figure, each contain- 

 ing two compressed seeds. 



The root of the plant has much the same bitter acrid taste with the seneka, snake root, 

 and has been a long time used as a strong resolutive and attenuant in those colonies. I 

 have known it administered with great success in obstinate rheumatisms, and oid vene- 

 real taints ; nor is it entirely useless even in Jthe*jr/H>/a ventosa monly called bone- 

 ache. I have frequently observed very stubborn complaints ea sometimes removed 

 by the continued use of this, and a '^w mercurial alterants ; but it is best used in ciecoc- 

 tious, which may be made either stronger or weaker, or impi ed with other ii 

 clients, as occasion, requires. The smaller the plant grows, the more sharp and biting 

 the root is, and consequently the better B 



Browne also mentions a variety of this sprues, which he calls the climbing snOwberr 

 ry, scandals tormatis temiissimis i t n$is. This grew to a considerable height 



among trees, and threw down some of its slender twigs again to the ground ; the leaves 

 very like the foregoing. Swartz also observed this plant, and says Hie leaves are smal- 

 ler, sub-convex, somewhat rigid, and glittering ; the racemes short and simple ; the 

 corollas a little larger, pale-coloured, but purple at the corners. 



SNOW-DROP-TREE. CIIIONAMTHUS. 



Cl. 2. or. 1. Diandria mono^ynia. Nat. or. Sepiariee. 

 This generic name is derived from the Greek words for snow and a flower. 

 ,-Cen. char. Calyx a one-leafed four-parted perianth; corolla quadrifid, monope- 

 talous, funnel-form, with the divisions very long; stamens two short filaments 

 with co.idate anthers ; the pistil has an ovate germ, a simple style, and an obtuse 

 .stioma; the pericarp a round drupe, one-celled; seed a striated nut. Swartz 

 ;found one species of this gee. us in Jamaica. 



INCRASSATA 1NCRASSATED. 



Panicles axilla^, trichotomous; all the flowers distinct ; anthers obtuse. 



This 



