92 



HEXANDRIA, 



TETRAGY- 

 NIA. 



Four Pistilla 



ORDER 4. 



No British Plant of this Order. 



PETIVERIA b is a shrubby plant, common in 

 the low lands in Jamaica, and in most of the islands 

 in the West Indies, where it thrives in a dry, 

 gravelly soil, in shady situations. It has the property 

 of enduring much drought, and remains green when 

 other vegetation is burnt up ; the cattle then feed upon 

 it, and it gives to their milk the taste of garlic. In this 

 country it blossoms in June. 



HEXAGY- 

 NlA. 



Six Pistilla. 



ORDER 5. 



No British Plant of this Order. 



WATER ALOE. This is an Order in Schreber 

 and Willdenow. This plant is a native of Egyyt and 



b This plant was named by Piumier, in honour of James 

 Petiver, who spent much of his time in the pursuit of natural 

 knowledge. He was apothecary to the Charter-house, and died 

 in 17JS, but the time of his birth is not accurately known. He 

 was Fellow of the Royal Society, and made so great a collec- 

 tion of rare and curious plants, animals and insects, that Sir 

 Hans Sloane, who afterwards purchased it, offered him in his 

 life time ^oool. for his collection. Petiver published, l.Mu- 

 saei Petiveriani Centurise decern, Svo.; 2. Gazophylacii Na- 

 ture et Artis decadis decern, folio; 3. A Catalogue of Plants 

 found on the Mountains about Geneva; 4. Pterigraphia Ame- 

 ricana, folio. He was the author of several other pieces, and 

 communications, to Ray and others. 



