268 DR WRIGHT'S HERBARIA. 



has long small compounded leaves, of a lively green colour. 

 The flowers are yellow. The pods are long and round, con- 

 taining several oblong seeds. The tree is planted for fences, 

 as it is prickly. It has no medicinal virtues. 



60. Melastoma velutina, Willd. — Velvet Leaf. 



This plant is about four feet high, and the leaves appear 

 and feel like Manchester velvet. The blossoms grow in clus- 

 ters, are white, pentapetalous, and have declined stamina. 

 The fruit is a berry, black, hairy, and oblong ; hence I sup- 

 pose it to be the American gooseberry. The berry tastes 

 sweet, and contains many small seeds. 



61. Phytolacca icosandra, L. — Mountain Caliloo. Pock-Weed. 



This plant is of speedy growth. The stem is herbaceous. 

 The leaves are of a deep green colour. The flowers, growing 

 in a spike, are white. The berries are red, and of the size 

 of a currant; on being broken, they are found to contain 

 many seeds, and a fine rich purple juice, which stains cloth 

 or paper red ; but the colour soon decays. Many attempts 

 have been made to fix the dye, but in vain. The leaves of 

 the very young plants, boiled, are excellent greens, and are 

 used as such by the Negroes in their diet. 



62. Iresine celosioides, L — Bitter Weed. 



This plant delights in shady places. The leaves are of a 

 dull green colour, and the numerous florets are white. The 

 seeds are very small, and, when ripe, are surrounded by a 

 down which serves to waft them with the breeze. 



The leaves are very bitter, and are used by some for the 

 cure of that stage of gonorrhoea called Gonorrhaea virulentis, 

 and sanguinolenta. 



