R A 



R A 



The Characters are; 

 // hath a tubulous Flower ccnfifl- 

 ing of one henf y whofe upper-Part 

 fpreads open into a plain Surface, and 

 is cut into ft*veral Parts ; from whofe 

 Cup arifs the Point a I, fixed like a 

 Kail, which afterward becomes an 

 alvioft globular foft Fruit, full of 

 Milk, in which are contained one or 

 two hard Seeds. 



The Species are ; 



1. Rauvolfia tetraphyHa angu- 

 fit folia. Plum. Nov. Gen. Four-leav'd 

 Rauvolfia, with narrow Leaves. 



2. Rauvolfia tetraphylla lati- 

 falia. Plum. Nov. Gen. Four-leav'd 

 Rauvolfia, with broad Leaves. 



This Name was given to this 

 Genus of Plants by Father Plumicr, 

 who was the Perfcn that difcover'd 

 them in America, in Honour to Leo- 

 nard Ravwolf] who was a curious 

 Botanift, and flouriuYd about the 

 Year 1583. He travelled into the 

 Holy Land, and feveral other Places 

 in the Eaft, and publihYd his Travels 

 in High-Dutch, which were tranf- 

 lated mioEngliJb under thelnfpe&ion 

 of the great Mr. Ray. 



Thele Plants grow plentifully at 

 Csw/^jsfromwhence I receiv'd their 

 Seeds, which were collected by Mr. 

 Robert Millar, Surgeon. 



The Seeds of thefe Plants mould 

 be fown in Pots filPd with frefh 

 Earth, and plung'd into an Hot-bed 

 of Tanners Bark ; for as they are 

 very hard, they frequently remain a 

 long time in the Ground : therefore 

 when they are in Pots, they may be 

 fhifted from one Bed to another, as 

 their Heat decays. When the Plants 

 come up, they muft b?. frequently 

 refretVd with Water; but it mult 

 not be given them in large Quanti- 

 ties; for the Plants are fucculeut, 

 and full of a milky Juice ; fo are in 

 Danger of rotting w;;.h, too much 

 Moiiiure . They {he 1 I - ' atfd >ia<.f a 



large Share of frclh Air admitted to 

 them in warm Weather ; and when 

 they are about two Inches high, they 

 mould be tranfplanted each into a 

 feparate fmall Pot filled with frefh 

 light Earth, and then plunged into 

 the Hot -bed again; obferving to 

 made them from the Sun, until they 

 have taken new Root ; after which 

 time they mould have free Air ad- 

 mitted to them every Day, in pro- 

 portion to the Warmth of the Seafon . 

 In this Hot-bed the Plants may re- 

 main till toward Michaelmas, when 

 they mould be removed into the 

 Stove, and plunged into the Tan- 

 ners Bark, where they mult be kept 

 warm, and not have too much Moid- 

 ure in cold Weather, left it rot 

 them. 



As thefe Plants are Natives of 

 very hot Countries, fo they will not 

 live in the open Air in England ; 

 therefore they fhould conftantly re- 

 main in the Stove ; and if they re- 

 main in the Bark-bed, they will 

 thrive much falter, than when they 

 are placed on Stands in a dry Stove. 

 But in the Summer -feafon they 

 mould have a large Share of frefh 

 Air admitted to them ; and the 

 Leaves of the Plants muft be now- 

 and-then warned with a Sponge, to 

 clear them from the Filth they are 

 apt to contract ; which, if fuffer'd to 

 remain, will retard the Growth of 

 the Plants. Where this Care is taken 

 of them, they will thrive very fail, 

 and the fecond Year will produce 

 Flowers, and continue fo to do for 

 many Years ; and will perfect their 

 Seeds in England. They may alfo 

 be propagated by Cuttings, which 

 mould be laid to dry for two or 

 three Days before they are planted; 

 and then mould be plung'd into a 

 moderate Hot-bed of Tanners Bark, 

 obfervi;^ to inade them until they 

 have taken Root ; after which time 



they 



