Hortus americanus: containing an account of the trees, shrubs, and other vegetable productions, of South-America and the West-India Islands, and particularly of the island of Jamaica; interspersed with many curious and useful observations, respecting their uses in medicine, diet, and mechanics / By the late Henry Barham ; to which are added, a Linnaean index, &c. &c. &c.
- Henry Barham
- Date:
- 1794
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Hortus americanus: containing an account of the trees, shrubs, and other vegetable productions, of South-America and the West-India Islands, and particularly of the island of Jamaica; interspersed with many curious and useful observations, respecting their uses in medicine, diet, and mechanics / By the late Henry Barham ; to which are added, a Linnaean index, &c. &c. &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![* ^ HORTUS- AMERICANUS. 17.9 lignancies. Planters give it decoded to the negroes^ to drive out the and to comfort the heart, as they call it. The dried herb^ given in powder, ^expels wind, cures the choiic, and opens obftrudiions- The whole plant makes an excellent bath, to take away aches or pains; and heals illcersl We have another foit, that is very odoriferous] that 'grows with a long fpiked head; this 1 have feen grow to fix or feven feet high; but it is not fo oily as other fort. SpIR IT~Le AF. This plant is well known in Jamaica by 'this name. It hath feveral brown and ftraight roots] of an inch and an half or two inches lon^ : from thefe roots arifes O ^ a four-fquare ftalk, about nine or twelve inches high, jointed, where come but the leaves, of a dark-bluilh colour; at the top comes out the flower^ monopeta- lous and bell-failiioned, of a delicate blue colour; after ivhich fuccceds a four-fquare feed-velfel, about an inch long; containing a great many fmail brown flat feeds; which feed-veffel; touched with the lead moif- lure, fprings open with a little fnap dr noife: And therefore 1 have advifed a perfon to put one of the feeds in his mouth, and immediately it would fly open. With a leap up to the roof of his mouth, which would furprife thofe v/ho were not acquainted with it. By this fpringing motion, it fcatters its feeds as if fowm by art, and often infefls or over-runs great quantities of ground, not to be got out wdthout much pains and difficulty. The whole plant much refembles the tianeUa alpina vcrna major et minor of Parkinfon. _It is an admirable vulnerary herb; the planters make an excellent baiiam of it, to cleanle and heal all ulcers, it is alfo called fclwort, M 2 Spleen-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29319870_0195.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
