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fluents aimoft to the bottom j the upper lip is long 
and entire, this is arched, and immediately under it 
the ftamina and ftyle are fituated *, the lower lip is 
obtufe, and indented at the top -, there are two acute 
feamcnts on the fide, which compofe the chaps of 
the flower ; there are two of the ftamina longer than 
the other-, thefe are crowned with roundifh furrMiits. 
In the bottom' of the flower is fituated the germen, 
fupporting a flender ftyle, crowned by an oval ftigma; 
the germen afterward becomes an oval capfule, filled 
with fmall angular feeds. 
This plant begins to flower in May,and there is ge- 
nerally a fuccefiion of flowers on the fame plant, till 
the winter puts a ftop to them, which renders the 
plant more valuable. It is propagated by feeds, which 
fhould be fown in pots filled with light earth, in the 
autumn, foon after the feeds are ripe thefe pots 
jfhould be plunged into an old bed of tanners bark, 
whole heat is gone, and in mild weather the glafles 
jfhould be drawn off to admit the air ^ but in hard 
rains and froft they muft be kept on, to prated the 
feeds from both, which frequently deftroys them here 
when they are expofed in the fpring the plants will 
come up, when they Ihould enjoy the free air in mild 
weather, but muft be proteded from the cold. 
When thefe are large enough to tranfplant, they 
Ihould be each planted into a feparate fmall pot filled 
with light earth, and placed under the frame till they 
have taken new root, then they fhould be gradually 
inured to the open air. During the fummer feafon 
the plants fhould remain abroad in a fheltered fitua- 
tion, but in the winter they muft be placed in a green- 
houfe, for they will not live abroad in England they 
muft not be kept too warm and clofe in the houfe, 
for they only want protedion from the froft ; there- 
fore in mild weather, they fhould have free air con- 
ftantly admitted to them, and they require frequent 
waterings, but they fhould not have it in too great 
plenty in winter. 
The feventh fort grows naturally in Tartary, from 
whence the feeds were fent to the imperial garden at 
Peterfburgh, and from thence I received them. This 
plant hath many oval fpear-fhaped leaves, which are 
fmooth, arifing from the root ; between thefe arife the 
ftalk, which grows about a foot high, and is garnifhed 
below with fmooth fpear-fhaped leaves, from four to 
five inches long, and one and a half broad in the 
middle, leflening gradually at both ends ; thefe have 
no foot-ftalks, but their bafe embraces the ftalks half 
round j the upper part of the ftalk is adorned by a 
fhort loofe fpike of yellow flowers, which are aimoft 
as large as thofe of the great yellow fort before-men- 
tioned, but they are fhorter. This flowers in May, 
and the feeds ripen in autump. 
All thefe forts fhould be fowri in the autumn ; for if 
- v the feeds are fown in the fpring, they commonly fail, 
or at leaft lie a whole year in the ground before they 
vegetate. The plants are biennial (except the fe- 
venth fort) and generally perifh foon after the feeds 
are ripe. 
DTO SC ORE A. Plum. Nov. Gen. 9. tab. 26. Lin. 
Gen. Plant. 995. 
The Characters are. 
It hath male and female flowers in different plants -, the 
male flowers have a bell-fhaped perianthium of one leaf, 
cut into ftx parts , but have no petals or empalement ; they 
have fix floort hairy ftamina , terminated by Jingle fiummits. 
The female flowers have the fame perianthium as the male-, 
they have no petals , but have a fmall three-cornered ger- 
men, fupporting three ftyles , which are crowned by Jingle 
ftigmas \ the perianthium af terward becomes a triangular 
capfule with three cells, opening with three valves, con- 
taining two comprefted bordered feeds in each. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the fixth feet ion of 
Linnaeus’ s twenty-fecond clafs, intitled Dicecia Hex- 
andria. The plants of this clafs and feftion have 
male and female flowers on different plants, and the 
male flowers have fix ftamina. 
The Species are, 
1, Bioscqrea {Saiiva) foliis cordatis alternis, caule 
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' E-uvi terete Hort. Cliff. 459. TJiofcotea with heart- 
fhaped leaves placed alternate , and a fmooth taper ft a Ik ; 
Diofcorea fcandens, foliis tamni frudu racemofo. 
Plum. .Nov. Gen. 9. Climbing Diofcorea zvith black Bri - 
ony leaves, and fruit growing in long bunches. 
2. Dioscorea ( Haft at a' ) foliis haftato-cordatis, caule 
laevi, racemis longiflimis. Diofcorea zvith Spear-pointed 
heart-fhaped leaves, a fmooth ftalk , and very long hunches 
of flowers. Diofcorea fcandens, folio haftato frudu 
racemofo. Ho li ft . MSS. Climbing Diofcorea with a 
fpear-pointed leaf, and fruit growing in bunches. 
3. Dioscorea {Ditto fa) foliis cordatis alternis, oppofi- 
tifque caule lsevi, Lin. Sp. 1463; Diofcorea with heart- 
Jhaped leaves placed alternate and oppofite, and a fmooth 
ftalk. Diofcorea fcandens, folio fubrotundo acumi- 
nato frudu racemofo. Houft. MSS. Climbing Diofi 
ccrea with a roundifh pointed leaf, and fruit growing in 
long bunches. 
4. Dioscorea ( Bulbifera ) foliis cordatis, caule laevi btil- 
birera. Flor. Zeyl. 360. Diofcorea with heart-Jhaped 
leaves, and a fmooth ftalk bearing bulbs. Volubilis ni- 
gra, radice alba ant purpurea maxima tuberofa efeu- 
lenta, caule membranulis extantibus alato, folio cor- 
dato nervofo. Sloan. Cat. Jam. 46. 'The Tam , or 
Tammes. 
5. Dioscorea (i Oppojitifolia ) foliis oppofitis ovatis acu- 
minatis. Lin. Sp. 1483. Diofcorea with oval-pointed 
leaves growing oppofite. 
6 . Dioscorea {Digitata) foliis digitatis. Hort. Cliff. 
459. Diofcorea with hand-fhaped leaves. Nureni Ke- 
lengu. Hort. Mai. 7. p. 67. 
The firft fort grows naturally in moft of the iflands 
in the Weft Indies. I received the feeds of this fort 
from Jamaica, where the late Dr. Houftoun found it 
growing plentifully. This hath flender climbing 
ftalks, which fix themfelves to any fupport near them, 
and rife to the height of eighteen or twenty feet, gar- 
nifhed with heart-lhaped leaves, ending with acute 
points, having five longitudinal veins, which arife 
irom the foot-ftalks, which diverge toward the fides, 
but meet again at the point of the leaves. They 
ftand upon pretty long foot-ftalks, from the bafe of 
which arife the branching fpikes of flowers, which are 
fmall, and have no beauty the female flowers are 
fucceeded by three-cornered oblong capfules, having 
three cells, each containing two compreffed feeds. 
The fecond fort differs from the firft in the fhape of 
their leaves, thefe having two round ears at their bafe, 
but the middle extends to an acute point, like that of 
an halbert. The bunches of flowers are longer, and 
are loofer placed than thofe of the former fort. 
The third fort hath broad, round, heart-fhaped leaves, 
which end in acute points ; thefe have many longitu- 
dinal veins which arife from the foot-ftalk, and di- 
verge to the fide, but afterward join at the point of 
the leaf-, the flowers come out on long loofe ftrinss, 
ftanding on fhort foot-ftalks ; the female flowers are 
fucceeded by three-cornered oblong capfules, with 
three cells, having compreffed bordered feeds. 
The fourth fort hath triangular winged ftalks, which 
trail upon the ground and extend to a great length j 
thefe frequently put out roots from the joints as they 
lie upon the ground, whereby the plants are multi- 
plied. The roots of this plant are eaten in many 
parts of both Indies, where the plants are much cul- 
tivated. 
The fifth fort grows naturally in Virginia, and in other 
parts of North America. This hath a fmooth ftalk 
which climbs on the neighbouring plants, and rifes 
five or fix feet high, garnifhed with heart-fhaped 
leaves, which are placed oppofite -, they are covered 
with fmall hairs, and have feveral longitudinal veins. 
The flowers come out from the fide of the ftalk in 
the fame manner as the other forts, but have no beau- 
ty. Thefe plants are preferved in fome curious bo- 
tanic gardens for the fake of variety , but as they have 
no beauty, there are few perfons who will allow them 
a place, efpecially as moft of the forts require a good 
ftove to preferve them through the 'winter in Eng- 
land. 
Thef e 
