Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/361

190 The Natural History of Jamaica. From the middle of these Leaves rises a Stalk, about a Foot and an half high, on which, round about, are set several Leaves, smaller than those at bottom, on the top of which srand many pale, green, broad Leaves, having a glewy mucilage between them, and a great many reddish Leaves, making as it were a Calyx, and looking in all something like a Rose, in which are contained several Heads conglomerated, having Seed-Vessels, and Seed as the former.

It grows on old great Trees in the large Woods, ibn Sixteen Mile-Walk-Path, and sometimes on the ground when fallen.

VIII. Viscum Caryophlloides majus, flore tripetalo coeruleo, semine filamentoso. Cat. p. 77.

This by a great many small fibrils, wrapt together, catches hold, and surrounds the Branch of any Tree it grows on, for three Inches round. From thence rises a Stem, about which grow several Leaves, an Inch broad at their beginning, hollow or concave inside, and convex on the other, swell'd out, or prominent below, making a cavity able to hold a pretty deal of Rain water. The other, or upper part of the Leaf is narrow and grassie, something like those of Pinks, about nine or ten Inches long, bow'd backwards, and reflected, and so hanging down, of a whitish green colour. In every thing like the Leaves of the Wild-Pine in their contrivance. The Stalk is a Foot and an half high, jointed, at every Inches distance or joint, having a grassie Leaf, inclosing the Stalk at the joint. Near the top on each side, ex alis foliorum come the Flowers, which have three Petala, are with a few yellow Stamina, scarce appearing out of a green hollow Leaf. After which follow pappous Seeds, being small, oblong and brown, having many long, downy filaments, hanging from them, and being inclosed green, then brown triangular Caffula, fupported by the aforefaid all

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grows every where in the Woods on the Branches of Trees, drawing Nourifhment from Rain-water, falling into a Cavity made by its own

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Leaves. IX. Fifcum Caryophjlloidcs minus, fol'tis fruinA injiar candkantihtts, flore trifetalo furfureo feminc flamentofo. Cat.f.jy. Tak Ixr. Fig. i. This Plant has feverai fmall fibers, warped, interwoven, or matted one within another, and wrapped about the Arms and Branches of Trees, from

which, though fometimes it be on the under fide of the Bough, rife ftraight up feverai Leaves, the under parts whereof inclofe one another like Bulbs, making in their inward concave fides a cavity to hold Rain, thereby to nourifli themfelves and Stalks. The Leaves are long, narrow, graflie, exactly of the Ihape, make and contrivance with thofe of the Wild-Pine, fomething like the Leaves of a Gillyflower, only all cover'd over with a fliort, white fliining Down, making the Leaves always look as if they were cover'd with a hoar Froft. In the middle of thefe riles a naked hoary, three Inches long Stalk, on the top of which {lands a hoary half Inch long Calyx, on the end of which are three fmall, purple Petala, and afterwards follows a Seed-Vefiel, exadly the fame in every thing with that of the Wild-Pine, only in every part fmaller. It grows every where on the Branches and Arms of Trees in this Illand. ^

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Caryoph)lloides minus, foliorum imis viridihus, aficihus fuhruhican' diSj flore trifctdo furpureo {emine filament 0, Cat, p. yy. Tab. 112. Fig. i. of

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