LEGUMINOSJE. 307 



minute ovate bracteole. Calyx small, 5-dentate, with the teeth 

 rather indistinct. Corolla more than twice the length of the 

 calyx, 5-fid, with the teeth acute. Filaments capillary, yellow, 

 matted, three times the length of the corolla. Legumes toru- 

 lose, twisted in a spiral manner, of a red colour : seeds 5-6, 

 black, shining, roundish, compressed, half-buried in a snow- 

 white fleshy arill us-like pellicle. 



The specific designation, itnguis-cati, is given from the curved 

 form of the thorns with which the tree is armed. Browne calls 

 it the black-bead shrub ; and from others it receives the names 

 of Barbary '-thorn and Nephritic-tree. Barham tells us, that it is 

 a sovereign remedy for stone, gravel, and other urinary com- 

 plaints, and also for obstruction of the liver and spleen. "We 

 are informed that it was first planted in the Island by a Span- 

 ish Bishop, who, in expatiating on the virtues of the plant, 

 deduced that it must be useful in nephritic complaints, from the 

 shape of the seeds resembling that of the kidney, and the white 

 arillus corresponding to the fat in which the gland is imbedded. 

 The bark is the part that is made use of, and Barham states, 

 that in his time it was in such general use, that it was rare to 

 meet with a tree that had not been barked. The decoction is 

 of a red colour, is very astringent, and has the reputation of 

 acting as a diuretic. It has been employed externally as a 

 lotion and injection in cases of relaxation of the parts. It is 

 supposed that this plant was introduced by the Spaniards, as it 

 is confined to the neighbourhood of Spanish- Town, and has not 

 been met with in any other part of the Island. 



3. * Inga comosa. Long-stamened Inga. 



Pinnae 3-jugate, leaflets 9-10-jugate ovate retuse at 

 the base, petioles branches and the paniculate-corym- 

 bose flowers glabrous, legumes acinaciform. 



Mimosa comosa, Sivartz, FL Ind. Occ. 980. 



HAB. Rocks, North side of the Island, Swartz. 



A shrubby tree, 15-20 feet in height. Leaves generally in 

 pairs from a single bud: leaflets very glabrous, veined. A 

 small ciliated cavity in place of a glandule at the base of the 

 petiolules. Panicle terminal. Calyx and corolla 3-5-fid. 

 Legume about 2 inches in length, margined, glabrous : seeds 

 6-8. Swartz. 



4*. Inga Saman. South American Acacia. 



Pinnae 4-6-jugate, leaflets 2-6-jugate oblong ob- 

 tuse glabrous above pubescent beneath, a glandule 

 between each pair of pinnae and leaflets, peduncles 

 terminal and axillary, legume about 20-seeded. 



