158 



FLORA OF JAMAICA 



Petiveria 



Griseh, Fl. Br. W. Ind. 59 ; Urb. Symb. Ant. iv. 229 ; H. Walt, 

 in Engl. Pflanzenreich iv.pt. 83, 118. Verbenae aut scorodonise 

 affinis &c. Sloane Cat. 64 & Hist. i. 172, Petiveria foliis &c. 

 Browne Hist. Jam: 274. Type in Herb, Linn. (Fig. 55.) 



Fig. f)^.— Petiveria alliacea L. 



A, Leaf and spike x |. F, Fruit x 8. 



B, Flower-buds X 3. G, Embryo X 8. 



C, Flower X 6. H, Section of seed ; «, endosperm ; c, coty- 



D, Do. cut lengthwise X 5. ledons ; r, radicle. 



E, Ovary x 10. 



Guinea-Hen Weed, 



Sloane Herb. iii. 62* 1 Houstoun ! Broughton ! Gosse I Prior ; Hope, 

 Har)-is I Providence, near Castleton, 700 ft., Thompson I Fl. Jam. 6872, 

 8065. — Florida, West Indies, continental tropical America. 



Plant 1-3 ft. high. Leaves 6-14 cm. 1., 2'6-6*2 cm, br., elliptical or 

 narrowly elliptical. Perianth white, about '4 cm. 1. Fruit nearly 1 cm. 1, 



The plant has a strong garlic smell, and imparts a disagreeable flavour 

 to the nulk and flesh of cattle feeding on it. 



4. PHYTOLACCA L. 



Herbaceous plants or shrubby below, erect (in West Indian 

 species). Leaves alternate, entire. Flowers hermaphrodite (in 

 W. Ind, spp,), in racemes at first subterminal, later opposite the 

 leaves. Perianth 5-cleft. Stamens 8-20 (in W. Ind. spp.), 

 inserted at the base of the pen"*nth. Ovary of 8-12 carpels ; 

 styles as many as carpels ; ovules solitary in the cells. Fruit 

 fleshy on outside. Seeds somewhat kidney-shaped, compressed ; 



