This genus is chiefly composed of shrubs belonging to 
the West Indies, where they have acquired among the Eng- 
lish colonists the title of ‘‘ Barbadoes Cherries,” from the 
likeness of their fruit, both in form and colour, to the 
european Cherry. In several sorts it is eatable. 
The present species is called in Jamaica, where it grows 
naturally, ‘“ the Couhage-(corruptly? Cow-itch) Cherry,” 
from the stinging foliage. It is an upright) branching 
shrub, seldom exceeding 4 or 5 feet in height, with a 
brown bark, pubescent on the young wood. Leaves oppo- 
site, scarcely 3 inches in length, oblong with a short point, 
beset, particularly underneath, with numerous straight pa- 
rallel bristle-shaped stinging prickles, pointed at both 
ends, fastened down at the middle, lying parallel with the 
surface of the leaf, one point turned towards the summit, 
the other towards the base; being sharp, rigid, and brittle, 
they penetrate the flesh on the slightest touch, and break- 
ing off, leave behind the cause of .a distressing irritation 
not easily allayed. 
The flowers are placed within the axils of the upper 
foliage, upon a short thickish peduncle terminated by several 
slender flexile one-flowered subaggregated pedicles, jointed 
and embraced by two small bractes below their middle. 
Segments of the calyx biglandular outwards at ‘the base. 
Corolla of a palish rose-colour, somewhat irregular, having 
the upper middle petal more distant, and the two lower 
connivent. Drupe or stone-fruit three-furrowed, about the: 
size, form, and consistence of a cherry, containing three 
small yellow nuts. 
Native of South America. Cultivated in-1737 by Mr. 
P. Miller. Blooms in the autumn. 
The drawing was made from a plant in the hothouse at. 
the nursery of Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, at Hammersmith. ' 
a:The calyx. 6A petal of the corolla. cThe stamens, monadelphously.. 
webbed.near the base. d The germen, and styles with stigmas. 
a 
