B O 



five or fix broad ; are deeply finuated, 

 fometimes almoft to the Mid-rib, and 

 are of a fine glaucous Colour; fo 

 that this Plant makes a beautiful 

 Variety among other Exotic Plants 

 in the Stove. The whole Plant 

 abounds with a yellow Juice, like 

 the greater Celandine ; and is of an 

 acrid Nature; fo that it is ufed by the 

 Inhabitants of America, to take off 

 Warts, and Spots from the Eyes. 



It is propagated by Seeds, which 

 ihould be fown in a Pot filled with 

 frefh light Earth, early in the Spring, 

 and plunged into an Hot bed of 

 Tanners Bark ; obferving to water 

 it frequently, otherwife the Seeds 

 \yill not grow. When the Plants 

 are come up, they fhould be each 

 tranfplanted into a feparate fmall 

 Pot filled with light fandy Earth, 

 and plunged into the Hot-bed again ; 

 obferving to ihade theGlafles in the 

 Heat of the Day, until the Plants 

 have taken Root. In Winter they 

 fhould be plunged into the Bark- 

 Hove, where they mould have a 

 large Share of frefh. Air in warm 

 Weather, and muft be plentifully wa- 

 tered. With this Management, I 

 have raifed thefe Plants upward of 

 two Feet high in one Seafon ; which 

 were alfo very ftrong in their Stems. 

 Thefe Plants mud be conftantly kept 

 in Stoves, allowing them a temperate 

 Heat in Winter ; and in Summer 

 they mould have plenty of Air in 

 warm Weather, as alio a large Share 

 of Moifture. This Plant has flowered 

 in the Phyfic-garden at Chdfea, and 

 perfected Seeds ; but if it were not 

 to flower, the lingular Beauty of the 

 Plant renders it worthy of a Place 

 in every curious Collection gi Plants; 

 2nd it feems the Indians were very 

 fond of it ; for Hernandez tells us, 

 the Indian, Kings planted it in their 

 Gar ens 



B O 



BOERHAAVIA, Hogweetf. 

 The Characters are ; 



The Flower conjijh of one Petal 

 c> v Leaf, which is of the hell Jhaped 

 Kind, having fi<ve Angles : this has 

 fearce any Empalement : in the Centre 

 is fixed the Pointal, attended by three 

 Jhort Stamina : the Pointal after- 

 w& rd turns to a furrowed Fruit, in- 

 clofing a jingle Seed. 

 The Species are ; 



1. Boerhaavia folanifolia major, 

 Vaill. Greater Hogweed, with a 

 Nightfhade-leaf. 



2. Boerhaavia folanifolia pro- 

 cumbent & hirfuta, jftoribus coccineis 

 compaclis. Houft. Hairy trailing 

 Hogweed, with a Nightmade-leaf, 

 and compacled fcarlet Flowers. 



3. Boerhaavia a (fines folio, feau- 

 dens, fioribus pallide luteis majoribus 

 in umielLe modum difpo/itis, femine 

 afpero. Houft. Climbing Hogweed, 

 with a Chickweed leaf, large pale- 

 yellow Flowers difpoied in an Um- 

 bel, and a.rough Seed. 



4. Boerhaavia folanifolia erefla 

 glabra, fioribus carntis laxius dif- 

 pojiti-. Houft. Upright fmooth Hog- 

 weed, with a Nightfnade leaf, and 

 fleih - coloured Flowers, growing 

 lcofely on the Spike. 



5. Boerhaavia procumbent, fo- 

 lani folio glabro,fiore coccineo. Houft. 

 Trailing Hogweed, with a fmooth 

 Nightfhade - leaf, and a fcarlet 

 Flower. 



Thefe Plants are all of them Na- 

 tives of the Weft-Indies, where they 

 grow as Weeds! The firil Sort is the 

 moll common in the Britift? Iflands; 

 where the Inhabitants ufe it for fe- 

 vcral Diiorders, and recommend it 

 as a Remedy for feveral Diitempers. 



Th«fe are all of them annual 

 Plants, which perilh foon after they 

 have perfected their Seeds ; and, in 

 warm Countries the Seeds which 

 £ fcatter, 



