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OF JAMAICA. 



211 



This tree was brought to Jamaica from Surinam, and is cultivated with <*reat 



by one Guafi a Jew. It thrives very well in the low lands about King fion, and riles 

 fometimes to the height of fixteen or eighteen feet, or better. The fruit is very 



mellow, and grows to the iize of a large plumb; but it feldom brings more than 



flone or feed to perfection, and that is generally found in the center. 



RHIZOPHORA i. TJtrinque brachiata-, fiiiis eliptico-ovatis. fummis ramh 



Vjlt IS. 



Rhizophora film acutis, jruclibus fubulato-clavatis. L. Sp. PI 



Hhe Mangrove of Catejb, ii. t. 



Mangle arbor pirifilia, Sec. Pk. t. 204. f. 9 



Mangle pirifilia cum Jiliquis longis, &c. SIo. Cat. 155 



Kandel. H.M. p. 6. t. 34. 





Guaparaiba. Pi£ 



t 



4 



The Mangrove, or Black Mangrove Tree. 



This tree is generally found on the borders of the fea, in whofe waters alone it 

 feems to thrive ; and there, only in fuch places as have a foft and yielding bottom. 

 Its larger branches frequently emit foft and weakly appendicles, that have the appear- 

 ance of fo many (lender aphyllous branches, and bend always downwards: but as 

 thefe are fofter, and furnimed each with a large column of a lax ipongy pith in the 

 center; they grow more luxuriantly than the other parts of the tree, and reach the 

 mud in a ihort time; where they throw out a numberlefs feries of flender fibres, 

 which in time turn into roots, to fupply the item more copioufly with nourim- 

 ment, while they become fo many props or limbs to the parent tree Thus it conti- 



nues to enlarge its bulk, as its weight increafes, or its branches fpread, (thefe con- 







ftantly throwing out new appendicles as they multiply their (hoots;) and by thofe means 

 forms thofe interwoven groves we fo frequently meet with on the fea-ihore in thofe 

 parts of the world; which, befides many other advantages, ferve to flop the 

 mould that is conftantly warned down by thofe rapid floods that come from the in- 

 land parts; and thereby, in time, turn, what might have other wife continued ufelefs 

 ponds, or open creeks, into rich and fertile fields. 



The fruit of this tree germinates within the cup, and grows from the top down- 

 wards, until it acquires a due degree of weight and perfection : then it falls off; 

 and as the root part is always thickeft, and hangs loweft, it drops in that direction, 

 and is thus received in the natural pofition m the mud below: the leaves im- 

 mediately unfold, and in a few minutes you fee a perfect plant, fometimes of ten. 

 or twelve inches in length, which foon begins to (hoot its roots, and pufti its 



growth like the parent item ; for the germen is frequently a foot in length before 

 it falls, and always furnidied with two leaves at the top ; but thefe are folded up 

 and inclofed within the cup while it continues upon the tree. 



The trunk of the Mangrove feldom grows to any confiderable thicknefs, but the 

 wood is very tough and hard, bears the water well, and is much uied for knees and 

 ribs in long-boats, and other fmall craft; for which the archings and angles of its 

 limbs moit naturally adapt it. Its lower branches become frequently the fupporters 

 of the American oyfter, which has given rife to the fabulous account of the growth 

 of this ftiell-fifli. Pifo fays, that a piece of the root toafted, and applied warm 

 to the painful wounds infected by the iting of the fifli Nigui, does foon quiet the 

 pain. 



A r . B. The number of the Filaments varies from four to twelve, in the flowers 



of this plant ; but eight is the mod conflant number of them in 





that part of the world. 



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