Book VII. land of BARBADOS. 
B which twit round the neighbouring Trees or Bufhes, and fo 
| {upports 
| itfelf from the Ground, The Leaves, which are likewife forhewhat hairy, 
and cut into two fhallow Sections, are fet upon the Vine upon an Inch 
~ Footftalk, and about two Inches afunder. From the Bofoms of the 
_ Leaves rife Stalks of about an Inch long, fupporting many. beautiful 
Flowers, compofed of fiftulous Radyi, round each Border, purple. at 
the Bottom, and whitith at the Top: Thefe are almoft inlaid in an out- 
| ward Covering of very thin white membranaceous Leaves, which are much 
crumpled and labiated bending inwardly ; a double Perianthium divided 
into five deep Sections. ~The Ovary, which is the Rudiment 
mes from the Bottom of the Flowers, from the middle of 
185 
whofe Top come three Styles tipp’d with round Buttons. Thefe likewife 
“bend downwards. As the Flower decays, the Perianthium clofes together, 
forming a green fomewhat conic Fruit, about the Bignefs of a Cherry ; 
“the outward Skin being feemingly divided, or rather mark’d: with fix un- 
| ! is yellow on the Outfide, include- 
‘ing a great many very agreeable pulpy Seeds, and Juice, of the fame Tafte 
| What is moft remarkable in this 
‘Fruit is, that it is intirely covered or furrounded with a bluith white 
feticulated Web, compofed of innumerable fmall Strings, and foft Briftles, 
whofe Tops are tipp’d with a glutinous Subftance. Both this Web, and this 
clammy Matter, are defigned by Nature to preferve the inclofed Fruit from 
teing deftroyed by Vermin, fuchas Ants and others, 
: PimPLoEs; Lat. Opuntia. | | 
, NH ESE are likewife called the wild prickly Pear; their Roots are 
} many, extending feveral Feet round: 
| It hath fcarce the Appearance 
of any Stalk near the Earth. The whole Tree or Buth is compofed of nume- 
Tous Leaves of a round oval Shape: Thefe are about nine or ten Inches long, 
about feven broad, and three-quarters of an Inch thick, The Infide of 
thefe contains a great Quantity of mucilaginous Juice; the Surfaces of 
them are thickly befet with Tufts of whitith Prickles, each Tuft confift- 
ing generally of four of thefe Prickles. The Body of this Buth, after 
the green outward Lamina is {crap’d off, is a reticulated Subftance, {trong- 
Y wreathed in feveral Folds one among another. The Flowers come out 
of the Sidés of thefe Leaves, and are compos’d of a great many round- 
ointed Petals of a yellowifh Red. The Chives are very many, tipp’d with 
ellowith Summits, The Pifti] is red, and furrounded with thefe Chives. 
thefe Leaves are fupported and {pring from a conic green hufky Pod-like 
aly Subftance, and are fucceeded by a Fruit whofe Infide is full of {mall 
p Pack: Seeds, : 
The 
