Boats in that Country. Bull-rushes are now used by some for floating Bodies.
Cyperus maximus paniculâ minus sparsa ferrugineâ capitalis compactis crassioribus.Cat. pl. Jam. p. 35.
This has a great many rough three-cornered grassy cutting Leaves, about three Foot long, and near an Inch broad at Root where broadest, and whence they decrease, ending in a point, and all of them make a large tuft round the Surface of the Earth where it grows. From among the middle of them rise three-cornered Stalks as big as ones Finger, solid, and filled with a rushy fungous Pith, Tab. 9. about three Foot high, on the top of the Stalks under the Spikes, stand two Foot long Leaves, tho there are many others shorter, being of like make with the Leaves at bottom. Above these stand several Spikes on several three-cornered Petioli of divesfe lengths, as in others of this kind, the longest being of Six Inches, and some of them being branched into Two or Three other Petioli, all of which have some Ferrugineous scaly, round, pointed Apices, or smaller Spikes, made up of Ferrugineous Scales lying on one another, sticking close to the tops of the Petioli which make the Panicle. The Seed is brownish, red, shining and Triangular.
It grew near Bridgetown in Barbados.
Gramen cyperoides panicula conglomerata è plurimis spicis cinereis constante. Cat. pl. Fam. p. 36.
Tab. 10.
Fig. 1.
This had a roundish Tuberous Root which had many Fibers as those of a
Leek, it was not Odoriferous but covered over with several dry Skins, and
from thence rose several Four or Five Inches long, narrow Leaves of a grass
green colour, like others of this kind; the Stalk was slender three-cornered,
about a Foot and a half high, on the top of which stood several small Spikes
clustered together without any Foot-stalks into one Head, each of them
being made up of many Gray Scales between which lay roundish edged Seeds
of a reddish colour; under this Head or Panicle stood some short Leaves,
as in others of this kind.
It grew in Barbados, but where I do not remember.
Ricinus Americanus tenuiter diviso folio Breyn. cent. I. p. 116. Cat. pl. Fam. p. 40. Mansanilla de las avellanas para purgar de Oviede, lib. 10. cap. 4. Ben Magnum Medicorum vulgo Wormmus, p. 187. Avellana Purgatrix, Contant. p. 1. An Castanea purgatrix, Mus. Mosc. p. 254?
Spanish Physick Nuts. I found these in Mr. Draxe's Plantation in Barbados, where they were planted in a Garden they agreed as to every thing with Breynius's Description and Figure; they had Flowers of a fine Scarlet colour.
They were put out of use by Mechoacan, Frag. When Hispaniola was first discovered, the Indians used this much for Purging, then the Spaniards through necessity used the same, not without hazard of Life. They purge Phlegm and Choler violently up and down, their vehemence is taken off with roasting. They are good for the Colick, and they Purge being put into Glysters. Hot in the third, and Dry in the second Degree. Dos. à 3s. ad 3s. Tosted. Oviedos says one was killed in Spain with half of one; and yet Nine did not work in Espaniola: they kill'd several at first, his own Children were almost dead, had they not been vomited with Oil.
The Fruit is an easter Purger than the Common-Physick-Nut, the Flower dryed and powdered, and given to halt a Crown weight purges Hydropick-Water plentifully, Du Tertre.
Convolvulus exoticus annuus foliis myriophylli millefolii aquatici flore sanguineo. Mor. hist. p. 20. Cat. pl. Fam. p. 58.
