A M M 
light earth, and placed under a frame, observing to 
ihade them till they have taken freih root •, then they 
fhpuld be placed in a glafs-cafe or ftove to ripen then- 
feeds, for the plants are too tender to thrive in the 
open air in this country, unlefs the fummer proves 
very warm. 
The fecond fort grows naturally in Virginia and Ca- 
rolina •, this is an annual plant, which rifes about a 
foot high, with red fucculent ftalks, putting out fide 
branches, which grow oppofite : the ilowers are pro- 
duced fingle from the wings on the lower part of the 
branches, but toward the top they are in drifters •, 
tliefe have no beauty, fo are only preferved in botanic 
gardens for the fake of variety. This fort will per- 
fect its feeds in the open air, if the plants are raifed 
on a hot-bed in the lpring, and planted in a warm 
border. 
The third fort grows naturally in China •, this is a 
very love plant, feldom rifing more than three inches 
high •, the leaves are placed oppofite on the branches, 
and the flowers grow in whorles from the wings of 
the (talk. As this plant has little beauty, it is rarely 
preferved in gardens. It muft be raifed on a hot-bed 
in the fpring, and treated in the fame manner as the 
firft fort, with which management the feeds will ripen 
in England. 
AMMI [Vyap, Gr.] Bifhops-weed. 
The Characters are, 
It is an umbelliferous plant ; the great umbel is comp of ed 
of many fnaller , which are difpofed like rays. The outer 
involucruni is compofed of many narrow-pointed leaves, 
which are almoft the length of the umbel. The fmall um- 
bels have a floor t many-leaved involucrum. The flowers 
are differ m, each having five petals , which are heart- 
fhaped thofle in the outer rays being large and unequal in 
ftze , but thofe in the center , which compofe the dijk , are 
nearly equal. The flowers have five fender ft amina, which 
are crowned with roundifh fummits. In the center of the 
empalement is fituated the germen , fupporting two re- 
flexed ftyles , crowned with obtufe fligma. The germen 
afterward becomes a fmall , round, ftriated fruit, compofed 
of two feeds, which are plain within and convex on their 
outjide. 
This genus of plants is by Dr. Linnaeus ranged in 
the fecond fedion of his fifth clafs, entitled Pentan- 
dria Digynia, the flowers having five ftamina and two 
ftyles. 
The Species are, 
1. Ammi ( Majus ) foliis inferioribus pinnatis lanceolatis 
ferratis, fuperioribus multifidis linearibus. Hort. 
Upfal. 59. Bifhops-weed with under leaves, which are 
winged, fpear-jhaped, and fawed, and the upper leaves 
are divided into many narrow fegment s. This is the 
Ammi majus. C. B. P. 159. And the Ammi vulgare. 
Dod. p. 415. Common Bifhops-weed. 
2. Ammi ( Glaucifolium ) foliorum omnium lacinulis lan- 
ceolatis." Guett. 2. p. 433. i. e. Bifhops-weed with all 
its leaves cut in floape of a fpear. Ammi petrasum 
glaucifolium perenne, Mor. Hill:. 3. p. 295. 
The firft fort is annual-, of this there is a variety, 
which is mentioned by John Bauhin as a diftind fpe- 
cies, under the title of Ammi majus foliis plurimurn 
Incifis & nonnihil crifpis ; but I have frequently had 
this variety arife from the feeds of the former, fo I 
have not enumerated it as a different fort. 
This plant is propagated by feeds, which fhould be 
flown in the autumn in the place where it is to re- 
main ; and in the fpring, the ground fhould be hoed 
to cut up the weeds, and alfo to thin the plants in 
the fame manner as is pradifed for Carrots, leaving 
them four or five inches alunder ; or if the ground is 
good where they grow, they muft be left at leaft fix 
inches, for they will grow large and cover the ground ; 
after this they will require no farther care, but to 
keep them clean from weeds. In June they will flow- 
er, and their feeds will ripen in Auguft, which fhould 
be gathered as it ripens, otherwife it will foon fcatter. 
'■' Thefe feeds are ufed in medicine, fo may be had in 
. plenty with this management ; for it will grow in any 
fituation that is open, but thrives beft on light fandy 
A MO'. 
land. When the feeds are fawn in the fpring, they 
feldom come up the fame year •, and if they fhould, 
thofe plants will be weak and produce few feeds. 
The fecond fort is a perennial plant, which is pre- 
ferved in botanic gardens for variety, but having lit- 
tle beauty, is rarely admitted into other gardens. It 
may be propagated by feeds, which fiiouid be fown 
in the autumn, becaufe thofe fown in the fpring, fel- 
dom come up the fame year. It will grow in any open 
fituation, is very hardy, and thrives beft on a moift 
foil. 
AMMI PERENNE. See Sium. 
A M O M U M. Lin. Gen. Plant. 4. Zinziber. C. B. P. 
35. Ginger. 
The Characters are. 
The flowers are collected into a fcaly flpike, each having a 
double ( fpatha ) or [heath ■, the outer /heath looflely covers 
the fcale , and the inner encompaffes the tube of the flower 
with the parts of generation : the flower is of one leaf, 
tubulous below, but divided into three parts at the brim, 
the middle fegment being longer and broader than the others . 
In the bofom of the flower is fituated an oblong thick nec- 
tar him. From the tube of the flower arifes two j lender 
ftamina, which are crowned with thick floort fummits. 
Under the receptacle of the flower is placed the round ger- 
men, fupporting a fingle ftyle , which is as long as the 
tube of the flower, crowned with a hairy fligma. The 
germen afterward becomes an oval three-cornered feed-vef- 
fel , opening in three parts, containing fever al feeds. 
This genus of plants is by Dr. Linnaeus ranged in 
his firft clafs, entitled Monandria Monogynia ; but 
it more properly belongs to his fecond, for the 
flowers of this have two ftamina, one of which is 
joined to the upper fegment of the flower, and this 
foon lofes it fummits, fo appears to be only a feg- 
ment. This I have conftantiy found in all the flow- 
ers which I have examined ; the flowers have but 
one ftyle. 
The Species are, 
1. Amomum fcapo nudo fpica ovato. Hort. Cliff. 3. 
Amomum with a naked ftalk and oval fpike of flowers. 
Zinziber. C. B. P. 35. Ginger. 
2. Amomum fcapo nudo fpica oblonga obtusa. Hort. 
Cliff. 3. Amomum with a naked ftalk and an oblong blunt 
flower-fpike. Zinziber latifolium fylveftre. Hort. 
Lugd. 636. Broad-leaved wild Ginger, called Zerumbet. 
3. Amomum fcapo brafteis alternis laxis, caule folio- 
rum altiflimo. Amomum with flower-ftalks loofely branch- 
ing alternately, and very tall leaf-ftalks. 
The firft, which is the common Ginger, is cultivated 
for fale in moft of the iflands of America, but is a 
native of the Eaft-Indies, and alfo of feme parts of 
the Weft-Indies, where it is found growing naturally 
without culture. The dried roots of this fort furnifh 
a conflderable export from the Britifh colonies in 
America. The roots are of great ufe in the kitchen, 
as alfo in medicine ; and the green roots preferved as 
a fweatmeat, are preferable to every other fort. 
The roots of this fort are jointed, and lpread in the 
ground thefe put out many green reed-like ftalks in 
the fpring, which rile to the height of two feet and a 
half, garnifhed with long narrow leaves, clofely em- 
bracing the ftalks at their bafe. The flower-ftems 
afterward arife by the fide of thefe, immediately from 
the root ; thefe are naked, ending with an oblong 
fcaly fpike from each of thefe feales is produced a 
fingle blue flower, whofe petals are but little longer 
than the fquamofe covering. The flowers appear in 
September, and in about a month after the ftalks en- 
tirely decay, fo that the roots remain inadive three or 
four months. 
The fecond fort grows naturally in India •, the roots 
of this are much larger than thofe of the firft,. but are 
jointed in the fame manner. The ftalks grow from 
three, to near four feet high, garnifhed with: oblong, 
leaves, placed alternately, and embrace the ftalks at 
their bafe. The flower-ftems arife immediately from 
the root •, thefe are terminated by oblong, blunt, 
fcaly heads •, out of each fcale is produced a fingle 
white flower, wjiofe petals extend a coniiderable length 
beyond 
