150 The Natural History of Jamaica.
When any wet touches the end of the Seed Vessel, with a smart noise, and sudden leap it opens its self, and with a spring scatters its Seed to a pretty distance round it, where it grows.
It grows under the Shrubs in iho. Savannas about the Town, and isinperiQ^iion
(bme time
after a rainy (cafon.
The
admirable contrivance of Nature, in this Plant, to propagate itsfelf, is moH plain, for the Seed- VeiTels being the bell preferver of the Seed, 'tis till it be Earth, rainy, when 'tis and Air of injuries the there kept from thrown round the Earth as it is then and to grow, it for a proper time Grain by a skilful Sower. This is a very good Wound-Herb, a very excellent Salve, being made with it and Suet boil'd together, and then (Irain'd. It is
us'd likewife
apphed on
IlTues to
make them
run.
not have taken this Plant to be mentioned by Dr. Pkkenet, as above, had not he pofitively faid fo, p. 167. of his Mantiffa. I fliould
III.
Convulvuhis
radice
tuhercfa
cfcuknta
y
alho, ft
ffinachia folio, flore
Pat at as de Ejq do furVurco, fcmine pofi jlngulos flore s fingulo. Cat, p. 53. mdhigy p-SA- Batatas Hifpanorum Svpert. part. 1, Tab. 35". Pat ales de Bout on, Convolvulus Tabl. angulofis fo^^. Bh't. PaLites de Rochcf. p. p.^-^^, 47. Potatoes of Malabar icus radtce tuber ofa eduli. Plukcnet. Almag, p. 114. Dampier. p. 10. &c. An Mavrandrcs de Flacourt. p. 116} Spanifh Patatas. The Root is tuberous, for fliape and bignefs very uncertain, but being for the mod part oblong, as big as a Hen- Egg, from a fwell'd middle tapering to both extremes, yellow, and fweet within when roaftcd, tailing like a boil'd Chelnut, and having many fibrils, by which it draws its Nourifhmenc. The Stalks are green, a httle cornered, and creeping for many Feet in length along the furface of the Earth, and putting forth Leaves and Flowers at every Inches diHance. The Leaves Hand on five Inch long green Foot-Stalks, they are almoll Triangular, having two Ears, and a fliarp point oppofitc to They are five Inches broad from Ear to Ear, and three from the Foot-Stalk. the Foot-Stalks end to the point, having under them purple Ribs, being (oft, fmooth, and of a yellowilh green colour, fomething re&mbling the Leaves of Spinage. The Flowers come out ex alts fol. Handing on a three or four. Inches long, green Foot-Stalk, being monopetalous. Bell Falhion'd, not^ very Sta middle fome in the having without, whitiih and within open, purple and brown, one Seed, follows ufually Flower After each Stylus. and a winay mem brown, roundilli, a in Itisinclofed it. fcveral depreflions in having branaceous Capfula, under which ftand five brown capfular withered Leaves
liis,
H
as in the other Convolvuli.
f
fame in every thing, only the Roots are reddilh, which is as common as the white, and grows indifferently with it. They are every where planted after a rainy Sealbn in the Plantations, for Provifion, by the flip, a piece of the Stalk and Leaves, being put either into Hillocks Httle railed through the Field, or into Howing, after Field plain the better. In months after planting thrive four to thought are they which in ground them, fiU'd with being the gathered, and be to ready ey are Worms. are eaten they longer by any therein continue they Jmerka, make^^^^ of feems to and Bata Defcription liis in Lhfchoten, f^/ t;wo Roots, which are nevcrthelefs the fame. They vai;y very much as to the figure and bignels_qf the Root, the co of its Skin being fometimesred, and moll commonly white- Thev^ are (pmetimes turbinated, at other times round, and mod commonly biggeft
- %*-•
.,-...the middle, and tapering to both extreipes 14^
There
is
another Kind of
this, the
.
.
.
^j^-^^^^
iFy%
!^r
They
