R hamnus.
M an g ife r a .
A maranthus.
C erbera.
but being a rank poifon, and liable to abufe, is now totally rejected,
efpecially as it was found to be of no fort o f ufe.
H er e are four fpecies of R h am n u s , Lineatus, Burman. Zeyl.
tab. 88, Nap'eca, Rumpb. Amboin. ii. tab. 42, or Vidara Laut;
the chief'ufe is to deteCt wizards, to whom is given to drink an
infufion of the root; i f it makes them lick, they are fuppofed
guilty, i f not they Hand acquitted; much as wife an experiment,
as that o f fwimming of witches in our ifland.
T he other two kinds are the common, R h . Jujuba, ii. tab.
36, and R h . Oenoplia, Burman. Zeyl. tab. 61.
Indica, Rumpb. Amboin. i. tab. 25, 26. This tree, valuable
for its fruit, grows to a vaft fize, and affumes the habit o f an
oak, and is a tree of the firft beauty. The fruit is oblong, and
fometimes grows to the fize of a goofe’s egg. When ripe, it is
of a yellow and red color, and contains a large kernel, which is
covered with a moft juicy pulp. It is reckoned (after the
Ananas) the moft delicious fruit in India, and very few other
fruits are eaten in the hot feafon. It is often dreffed different
ways in made diihes. Of them is alfo made a mango-rob, moft
acceptable to fick people. It is often brought over to England
pickled. The timber is not of any value. This tree is not
found in the Molucca ifles.
Cajlrenjis, v. tab. 84,1s the beautiful annual, the amaranthus
cocks-comb, that we often fee an ornament to our gardens.
Mangbas, arbor LaNaria, ii. tab. 81. This alfo grows to a
great fize, and in- the weftern parts of the different ifles. The
fruit is far leffer than the Mango. It is of an oval form, with
one fide concave, as i f a piece had been bitten out. This, the
Cingalefe fay, was the fatal apple tailed by Eve, whom they
feign
feign refided along with her mate in this ifland : They therefore
call it Adam’s apple. It lies under the repute o f being of
a moft poifonous quality; but that notion is effectually exploded
by Rumphius. It is even taken, in form of an infufion, internally;
The kernel may be noxious when eaten to excefs,
and. even fatal, which may be the cafe with the beft things. In
Malabar it is called Odallam. Rheede, i. p. 71, afierts, that it is a
common poifon, and that a very fmall portion proves immediately
fatal. The wood is of no value: if wounded, it plentifully exudes
a milky liquor. The kernel is fometimes preffed for the oil, with
which candles are made; but they emit a moft rank fmell.
Oleander is common to this country, and the hotter parts o f N e v iu k .
Spain.
T he Br om e l ia Ananas, Rumpb. Amboin. v. tab. 81, grows B r om e l ia .
wild in many of the Indian ifles; fuch as Celebes, Amboina, and
even the Philippine ifles * : It was not, therefore, introduced
from America. It is common to both worlds, and was originally
brought from the Brajils into Spain. It is now frequent in
Europe; but cultivated with greateft fuccefs in England. The
natives of MacaJJar call it Pangram. The name Nanas, and
Najfa, which is ufed in fome places, is caught from the Bra-
Jilian Nana, which was changed by the Portuguefe into Ananas,
and conferred on the plant, which they found alfo in India. This
is the moft delicious fruit of the country, and long fince cultivated
with great attention, by transferring it into the richeft foils.
Ceylon glows with numbers o f the moft fplendid or odori- P a n c r a t ium .
ferous .flowers. The P a n c r a t iu m Zeylanicum, Com. Hort. i.
tab. 38, is a beautiful white flower, with a charming fcent.
* Rumph. v, p. 128.
Afiaticum,