MEDICINAL PLANTS OF JAMAICA. ^ 225 



plant is propagated by dividing the roots, and is fit to be dug 

 up in nine or ten months from the time of planting. The 

 roots send out numerous branches, and are thicker than a 

 man's thumb.) 



67- Mimosa tortuosa. — Poponax Bush. 



NlLOTICA. ) 



V {jUHi-ambic 1 rees. 



SENEGAL, j 



The first of these has probably been imported, and at pre- 

 sent grows too abundantly, as it is a thorny troublesome 

 bush. 



The others have been lately introduced from Guinea. 

 They are trees of about twenty feet high. I saw them in the 

 garden of Dr Paterson, at Green Island, Jamaica. The Ni- 

 lotica, on being cut a little, yielded a good deal of transpa- 

 rent gum. 



These several species have small pinnated leaves, which 

 are nearly as sensible, on being touched, as those of the Mi- 

 mosa pudica. The flowers are yellow buttons, which, when 

 rubbed, are very fragrant. All of them afford gum-arabic 

 in lesser or greater quantities, and more or less transparent. 



68. Mirabilis Jalapa. — Four o Clocks. 



This is frequently met with in the gardens of the curious 

 in Great Britain. It grows wild in Jamaica, and is a trouble- 

 some weed. Some have red flowers, some yellow, and others 

 flowers finely variegated. 



It has a large tap-root, which, when cut across, is not un- 

 like that of jalap ; but when dried, is white, light, and 

 spongy. It requires to be given in a great quantity to ope- 

 rate as a purge, and is probably the mechoacanna of the an- 

 cients, but not the jalap, which belongs to the genus Convol- 

 vulus. 



