2iS HDRTUS JAMAICENSIS. m\J>~ 



WILD-PINE. TILLANDSIA. 



Cl. 6, or. l Hevandria mnnogynia. Nat. -OB. Coronaria. 

 Gpx. char See O.J Man's Beard, vol. 2, p. 18. Besides those described UBcier that 

 name, the'foilow.ng species have been discovered in Jamaica : 



1. UTRICULATA. BOTTLFD. 



Viscum earyophijlloides -maximum /lore tripetalo pallidelutro semine H~ 

 lamentoso. Sloane, v. l. p. 188. Parasitica major \foliis attenuatis 

 bin ventricosis, racano laxo spatiosa assurgtnli. Browne, p. 194, 

 T. 4. 



Culm panicled, 



Thi> curious plant prows every where in the woods of Jamaica, on decaying trees, of 

 which many brown fibrils encompass the arms, or take, firm hold of the bark, notasmis- 

 1 to, to suck nourishment, but only weaving and matting themselves among one ano- 

 tl 2r, and thereby spreading a firm and strong foundation to the plant ; whence arise 

 several leaves on eveiy side, like those of aloes or ananas, which has given occasion 

 to its name oFWild Pine ; they are folded or enclosed one within another, each three 

 feet arid a half long, and three inches broad at the base, but ending in a point, having o 

 very hollow or concave inward side, and a round or convex outward one, forming a ba- 

 st, i or cistern, containing about a quart of water, which in the rainy season talis upon 

 the upper parts of the spreading leaves, and being conveyed down themhy channels, 

 lodges in ti e bottom as in a bottle ; for the leaves being swelled out at the base, bend 

 in war s dose to the stalk, thus hindering the evaporation of the water by the' heat of 

 i i,- sun. From the rrildst of t le leaves rises a round, smooth, si: ;. ; ^ht green stalk, 

 three or four feet high, having many branches, and, wbe'n wounded, yielding a clear 

 white mucilaginous gum. The flowers come out here and there on the branches. 

 The corolla i~ of a yellowish unite or herbaceous colour, and the calyx is made up of 

 three green viscid leaves, with purple edges. Capsule greenish brown, having under 

 it three short capsult r leaves, and within several long pappose seeds, which are oblong 

 pyramidical, and \ \ small, having a very soft down, as long as the capsule itself. 

 Bj this In mi the seed is not only carried by the wind, but it is enabled by it to stick 

 fasi i'i the bark of trees Vs soon as it sprouts, although it be on ihe under part of a 

 bough, it rises pei pendicula ly . for it it ha I any other position, the cistern could not 

 hold the water which is necessarj for the life and nourishment of the plant. In the 

 mou us -is well .is dry low w lods, this reservatory is very useful to men, birds, and 



i; ects, w > in-si an it> ol water frequent these plants in troops. Dampier says he has 

 man) ti nes ; to iu> gr< at relief, stuck his knife into the leaves, just above the roots, and 

 let out the water into ins hut. Sloane. 



2. SERRATA. SERRATE. 



Put a.- tied maxima, foliis amplioribus obtusis, ciliato sub-spinosis, ?-a~ 

 . e assurgenti piiamidato. Browne, p. 194, T. 7. 



Leaves serrate-spiny above, spike como*e. 



Brow in tana u.ia the largest wild-pine, with a variegated flower-spike. 



3. LINGULATA. 1 U-\GUE-LEAVD. 



Viscum 



