320 HORTUS JAMAICEN3IS. 



Sc-.mdois, fnliis *itiipl/c;bus ovatis allcrnis, marginibus revolutis fiori- 

 bus sp'cutis tetrugynous. 



The calyx is a monophyllous perianih, coloured and permanent, deeply cut into five 

 equal, ovate., concave, and patent sections ; the corolla consists of five equal, ovate, con- 

 cave erectb-patent petals; Ibng'erj throaaer) and more obtuse pointed, than the sections 

 of the cup ; the stamens are texi, stimulated, erect, free above, and united at their base, 

 donning a ne ctarium ; they are somewhat longer than the petals and alternatelyshorter; the 

 pistil has a pyramidal tetragonal germ, the styles short, four in number, erect, subulated, 

 connivent; the stigmas are simple and obtuse, the fruit a quadiivalvular capsule, ob- 

 tusely tetragonal, utiilccular, containing four ovate seeds, gibbous on one side and fiat 

 on the other, black, shining, and decorated with parallel longitudinal striae. The seeds, 

 are each involved but not entirely in a purple carnous arilla. When the fruit is npe 

 it is of a reddish purple and shining ; the cups are also red, and, when the valves ex- 

 pand themselves ; the deep Id.. ck winning tops of the seeds, with the lively purple of 

 the arillas, exhibit no inelegant spectacle. There are very often but three vaives, in 

 which case the germ has but three styles. I have classed this plant with the Trichilia, 

 with which, however, it disagrees in divers substantial points, but chiefly in the number 

 of styles and nionolocuiar capsules, yet in the germen dissected I observedfour separate 

 cells, and even in the ripe fruit may be observed the vettiges of a seperating ridge or 

 septum." 



VOLUME SECOND. 



l y dge 141, After the article Santa Maria insert the following : An anonymous cor- 

 respondent) inthe Jamaica magazine for April, IS 1:3, states that " In the year 1 S09 there 

 was an uncommon scarcity of white oak staves, in toijse'q'ueiiee of the American embar- 

 go, on which account I directed ten puncheons to he male of Santa Maria, Spanish 

 Errn, and Gallimento. The Santa Maria being very difficult to split in the usual way, 

 that alone was sawed to the proper size of staves; those staves, as well as the staves 

 split from the Spanish Elm arid Galhmento, were dressed and put into a large vessel, ill 

 which they were boiled for six or eight hours, and permitted to remain in the water af- 

 terwards until quite cold, for the purpose of detaching the gum and other tenacious 

 matter which might adhere to them ; after which, when dry, they were jointed and set 

 up hi trusses, for the purpose, of hooping, &C. &C. When finished, they were with- 

 out delay filled with rum, and headed up, after which they were for two or three days, 

 rolled out of the store, to expose them to the sun lor some hours, and were, at tin; 

 same time, frequently turned over to discover whethert here was any leakage ; the joints, 

 however, being found perfectly' tight, and being entirely convinced of the sufficiency 

 of those casks, they were shipped for the London market, after being three or four 

 weeks filled, at the end of which time there was neither a discolouration of the rum, 

 nor did it appear to be impregnated with any taste or smell from the wood ; v I I have 

 the gratification of learning from my correspondent, that each puncheon readied him. 

 as full as any other puncheon made of white o;ik, nor was the rum in the least injured, 

 but brought as good a price as any." 



CLASSICAL 



