FAMILY HERBAL. S61 



attill in its fruit. The stalk is rounds thick, joint- 

 ed, and of a deep green colour : it is not able to 

 support itself, but climbs upon bushes. The 

 leaves are long and narrow : they stand one at each 

 joints upon long foot stalks. The flowers grow 



I the outside of the fruit : they are small and 

 jsiderable. The fruit, which is what we call 

 DCDDcr. is an inch and a half lono-, and as thick 



P 



■vided into cells within, in each of which is a sin- 



e 



seed. 



I 



This has the same virtues with the common black 

 pepper, but in a less degree ; it is not so hot and 

 acrid, and therefore will be borne upon the sto- 

 mach when that cannot. It is excellent to assist 

 digestion, and prevent colics. 



m , 



The Jamaica Pepper Tree. Piper Jamaicense. 



AN American tree, in all respects different from 



the plants which produce the other kinds of pee- 

 per, as is also the fruit altogether different. It 

 should not be called pepper: the round shape of 

 it was the only thing that led people to give it such 

 a name. The Jamaica pepper tree is large and 

 beautiful. The trunk is covered with a smooth 

 brown bark. The branches are numerous ; and 

 thev are well covered with leaves. The tree is 



A -I 



as )>ig and high as our pear tree^. The leavM 

 are oblong: and broad, of a shinins: green colour : 



ft & 



they grow in pairs, and they stand on long pedicles. 

 The flowers grow only at the extremities of the 

 branches: they stand a great many together, and 

 are small. The fruit which succeeds is a berrr. 



Frefn at firsts and afterwards becoming of a red 

 ^ish brown, and in the end, bhick. They arc, 

 when fine, full of a pulpy matter^ surrounding 



