188 HO TITUS JAMATCENSTS. fW| 



only half the size, subcordate, smooth, convex, yellow. Filaments scarcely any& 

 anthers rather peclicelled, sub-obovate, bivalve, whitish; styles very short, crowcetL 

 together into a conical form; stigmas oblique, hirsute alter flowering time. Beiry 

 difForm, cordate-oblong, muricate with prickles, bowed buck, fleshy; seeds qbiong, 

 black, with a lateral scar of a different colour, placed in a ring The_ smell and uste 

 of the fruit, flowers, and whole plant, resemble very much those of black currants. 

 There is a variety of it in Jamaica with inodorous leaves, larger Howers, of a hiivous 

 colour, and spherical mucronate fruits. Swaitz, The pulp of tins fruit, which grows- 

 to the size of a bullock's heart, is soft, white, and of a sour-sweeush taste, intermixed 

 with oblong dark-coloured seeds. It grows very commonly even in the savannas in 

 Jamaica. The Indian name of this tree is suir sack. This fruit is conquered of a cool- 

 ing and agreeable nature, but is the less esteemed on account of its being so common. 

 Taken on an empty stomach it has been known to cure obs'iuate lntermittents. A de- 

 coction of the roots is given in Guadaloupe as a cure for the poison ot fish. Being re-. 

 duced to powder, the root snuffed up the nose, Grainger says, produces the same .. r- 

 fect as tobacco ; and, taken by the mouth, the Indians pretend it is a specific m tne 

 rpilepsy. The leaves are commonly thrown into fowl-houses for the purpose or destroy- 

 ing fowl-lice. Sloane says, " when they are unripe, and about the bigness ot turnips, 

 if so dressed they eat like" them. Of the unripe fruit pressed is made a wine, which is. 

 as clear as water, and is good for fluxes and cankers m childn ns mouths. The leaves, 

 infused, according to Piso, or burned and mixed with oil, being rubbed into an apos- 

 tfaeme, ripens, opens, and heals it." 



2. SQUAM.MOSA. SCALY.' 



jjnnonafoliis edoratis minor ibus, fructu ennnride squammesa parv* 

 <hrfci. Sloane, v. 2, p 168, t. 227. Foliis obltmgo-ovatis undula- 

 tis venosis, floribus tripetalis trmtibus mamilldtis. Browne, p. 256. 



Leaves oblong, acute, smooth; fruits obtusely scaled, outer petals lanceolate, 

 inner ones minute. 

 The sweet sop, or sigar-apple tree, grows only about eight feet in height, and is 

 frequently rather a shrub ; the trunk is smooth, and the branches spreading and round ; . 

 leaves alternate, acuminate, entire, nerved, smooth on both sides, glaucous on the 

 back; petioles short, round, smooth, thickened at the base. Flowt-rs peduncled, 

 usually in pairs, oblong, acuminate, green without, whitish within ; peduncles below 

 the petioles, longer, one-flowered. Calyx one-leafed, triangular; petals three, lan- 

 ceolate, triquetrous, plane-convex without, sharp at the top, excavated within at the 

 base, dark purple, smooth; no nectar)'; filaments scarcely any; anthers imbricate, 

 placed close to the gerln, obtuse, two-valved ; styles short, thick, imbricate ; stigmas 

 oblong, oblique; berry oval; scales adnate, roundish, blueish, resembling sub-im- 

 bricate teats ; seeds flatted a little, black, with' a white scar on the side, wrapped in a 

 succulent cottony substance. Swartz. This tree is also common in the savannas and 

 lowlands of Jamaica. Tli ! fruit when ripe becomes purplish, and hath a sweet wnitish 

 pulp, which is much esteemed by those who are fond of fruit where the sweet prevails ; 

 and, when full ripe, is said to be cooling and laxative. The leaves have an agreeable 

 scent, when rubbed ; Barham says that one of them laid on pillows or beds will draw 

 all the bugs to it, so as you mav get rid of them. Sloane observes " that the leaves 

 beaten, putting salt to them, make a poultice, winch put on malignant tumours, power- 

 ful^ 



