# A Voyage to the Islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica/Volume 1/Book 1/Chapter 1

THE
Natural History
OF
JAMAICA.
BOOK I.
OF THE
Plants of JAMAICA.
Chap. I.
Of Submarine Plants.
hose growing in the Seas about Jamaica, may be divided into such as are of a stony Substance, as Corals, under which are comprehended Pores, stony Mushromes, &c. those of a woody, or horny and tough Substance, with a coralline Incrustation; and those of a herbaceous or soft consistence, as the Fuci; but they have this common, that all of them smell very fishy, or strong of the Sea.
They are likewise saltish to the Tast, and for the most part, upon drying, there sticks to them a White Substance, chiefly made up of Sea-Salt; and from this Concretion, or rather Salt, (without the addition of any Alkali) sticking to the Leaves of the Delisk (the humid parts of the Salt-water being evaporated) it is that that Plant is made delightful to the Irish Palats.
Most of these Plants vary very much in their Colours, not only those Sea-Shrubs, which have incrustations over them, when in their Maturity or State, being sometimes Purple, or White on the same Branch; but likewise, being thrown on Shore by the Waves, dashing against Stones, &c. they lose some, most, or all of their Crust, and change their Face extremely. The same cause makes all Corals here vary very much, being extremely White as Snow, if they have lain on Shore, exposed to the injuries of the Air, and dashing of the Sea, for some time.
​But the most common variety of these Submarine Plants comes from the Coferva Marina, and Froth of the Sea, which makes them, by being cast on them, and dried with them, of a very Green, or dirty Yellow Colour.
Several of this Tribe, and more than of others, have been in Europe, they being to be met with at the first landing of Seafaring Men, and not growing in the inland parts, whither Sailers seldom go; add to this, that they are for the most part from their salter, harder, and drier Consistence, easilier kept from Corruption, and by their Beauty more tempting than other Vegetables; so that the Cabinets of the Curious, Shops of Drugsters, Surgeons, Barbers, and Apothecaries have abounded with greater Varieties of this, than any other kind.
The most part of Corals themselves having striated Lines, and many of them starry Pores, which are put by most Authors for the Characteristicks of Pores, as distinct from Corals; I shall not give those Corals I met with in Jamaica, the names of Pores which seems to belong to most, if not all of them to be found here; but only call them Corallia porosa, to distinguish them from the more solid.
I shall put the Corallines with the Frutices Marini, or Sea-Shrubs, which are made up of a horny, tough Matter, with a Coralline incrustation, because most of them have a Nerve or Thread running through them, which although the last herein described seem to be quite destitute of, yet because of its not being erect, and smallness, it shall be reckoned by me a Coralline.
For the name Spongiæ Spuriæ, I make use of it here to signifie any fibrous, reticulated spongy Body, growing in the Sea, and thrown up by the Waves, which notwithstanding it be very like in many things to a true Spunge, it is yet harder; so that 'tis not easily pressed, nor has much elasticity, neither doth it suck up Water as that does, which are the marks of true Sponges. These Bodies would by some be called Alcyonia.
The way of Propagation of this whole Tribe, which lies much from our Sight or Observation, has been very obscure, it seems to be different in the several Kinds of them, as to the harder of stony Plants, there is some account of their Propagation in giving a Description of the Astroites, or flat Stone: there is likewise somewhat of the growth of Corals, in the account of some of those I found growing; and as to the Fuci, or those of a softer or herbaceous Consistence, their Seed has been discovered, (and shewed me first) by the Industry of the Ingenious Herbarist, Mr. Samuel Doody, who found on many of this Kind solid Tubercles, or risings in some Seasons, wherein were lodged several round Seeds, as big as Mustard-Seed, which, when Ripe, the outward Membrane of the Tubercle breaking, leaves the Seed to float up and down with the Waves. This Seed coming near Stones, or any solid Foundation, by means of a Mucilage it carries with it, sticks to them, and shoots forth Ligulæ with Branches, and in time comes to its Perfection and due Magnitude.
Tab. 17. Fig. 1. Tab. 18. Fig. 1. Tab. 19.I. Corallium asperum candicans adulterinum. Cap. pl. Jam. p. 1. J.B. l.39. c.33. Raii hist. p 62. Gypsum Coralloides Boet. de Boot. p. 321. Mus. Swam. p. 19. Corallium fossile exalbidum, pennam gallinaceam crassum, ramulis aliàs pluribus, sæpius binis aliàs amputatis. Luid. lith. Brit. p. 6. No. 92, 93. Tab. 3. No. 92. An Corallii albi species minima duas uncias lata, è Scopulo gypseo enata. Mus. Swam. p. 17?
One Kind, or Variety of this, Tab. 17. Fig. 1. was broad at Base, about two Inches, and about one quarter of an Inch thick, three or four Inches high, whitish, smoother than any of the other Corals I met withal here, though a little rough, and having some few Pores, solid, and white within when broken, ​continuing broad to the end, which were round tips like those of Hartshorn, half an Inch long, standing out from the margin of the broader part every way, which was mostly flat, though sometimes branched; these points or tips, which are somtimes crooked, growing larger, united, and having
between them filled up, make the broadefl; part of this Coral, it appearing to be nothing clfc than the tips join'd together, and having holes in tho(e places where the fpace between them is larger, and not fo foon fill'd as the others, (bmething refembling thofe round Gakes of Bread made by the Jews at Eafler. And of this, as to manner of growth there is very great variety, the chief mark of it being from its colour and folidity the moil remarkable varieties being in the under parts of it being broad or roundilli, the Interflices filled up or not, and its rout Branches growing parted from one another every way, or being extended one way. It is to be found on mod of the Shoals about the Ifland, and vei plentifully on the Northern Coaft of H/fpamola, where the Silver Ship wj Wreck'd, much of this kind having been fillied up with it. There are many varieties of this growing on Sea Shrubs, of various fhapes and figures, but all agreeing in being more flony and Iblid than the other Kinds, although it be porous within, and rough on the outfide. TaL 1 8. their Interflices
Fig. I.
One
_,.
of it I have growmg prowin? all round. "a common Glafs Bottle, this Bottle was by chance or Earthquake, thrown Into the Sea in P ort- Royal Hzvbpur, and thence taken up by a Diver, whom the Reverend Mr ScamUcr fcnt to the bottom of the Sea to take up Money and Goods he had loft in the great Eardiquake. It is figured. Tab. 1 9. This flie ws the Seed of Coral to be liquid. I think the kind of Fojfd Coral found in Oxfordjhh-e, and mentioned by Mr. LuU. Lhhofhilac Brit. f. 6. No.gz. 93. feems to be this. It fort
figured, N"^. 92.
This
is
7"/?^.
3.
pretty well figured
1
by Ge[mr, and
J.
r
B i
IL CoralliumAlhtimpumilumnoftras. Pig.z.
Cap.
mp.f.
i.
RaiihijI:.
p.6z. Takit.tah. i8 4 Fig
could not find any great difference between the Coral found on the Weft Coaft o^ England, and this in Jamaica, and very little between it and one 1 had given mc by Mt.George Handifyd, who brought it from the Streights of Magellan, with many other Natural Curiofities thislaft was a little higher, more branched, lefs crooked, and flenderer That I gathered in Jamaica, was Inch high with many very crooked Branches, fmooth and folid grew on Rocks, Shells, d'c. in the bottom of the Sea, as alio in roundiih lumps or mades, whence it is fometimes caft on Shore. It is ufed in the London Shops for White Coral ; and Gjr^^i defcribes this Englip one, giving, the figure of the White Coral, taken from Lobelims Icones, This fort which grows in Jamaica, is found about Falmouth In England, by the thither thrown Storms, brokerf but heard) (as I have growing not I
to pieces.
Cat. pi. Jam. p, i Tab. 1 8. Tah. muricatum. maximum porofiim album CoraUium Fig.i, An White Coral of Davis. Purchas, lib, 3. caf. i. fe^. 5'. V. 135. c>",i^^« lib. 4i^cap. 6. fell.%' album cap.^z? vc CoraUium Linfchot, 449-^ p. 448. (^ III.
1?'
CoraUium album non fifiulofum medulla intus Part 4 Ind. or, cap. f . p. j radiata. Muf. Strammerd. p. 17 ? '. / j This from a ftony and yellowifli root or bafe, {bmewhat like in fubftancfc^ to Frecftonc, (ends up (everal Stems as large or larger than ones Thumb, a Foot and a half high, of a yellowifli White Colour; haying feveral crooked de Bry, 3
? ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/223 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/224 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/225 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/226 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/227 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/228 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/229 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/230 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/231 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/232 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/233 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/234 ​round holes or cavities in them, the colour was like that of a Sponge, and the Fibers much finer than those of any of this kind.
It was cast up on the Banks of the Sea by the Waves, sometimes, though not very frequently.
XLI. Pila marina velut ex ampullis constans ad Spumæ similitudinem. C.B. pin. 368. Cat. p. 7. Vesicaria marina in pilam conglomerata ex ostrearum testis. Plukenet. Alm. p. 385.
This is frequently cast upon the Banks of the Sea by the Waves, beyond the Palisadoes near Port Royal, &c.
XLII. Vesicaria marina non ramosa, ex ampullis majoribus, paucioribus, sinuatis, auriculæ instar constans, cujus superficies, favi instar notantur. Cat. p. 7. Tab. 24. Fig. 2.
There were only two or three of these Bladders joined together, they were sinuous here and there, with cavities, and look'd something like an Ear; and were marked on the Surfaces like Honey Combs, each of them being as big as twenty of the ordinary Bladders of Vesicaria marina non ramosa.
It was cast upon the Shore with the other.
XLIII. Vesicaria marina non ramosa, è vesiculis infundibuli forma, membrana undulata extante coronatis constans. Cat. p. 7. Tab. 24. Fig. 3.
There was an oblong String or Ligament, which seemed to fasten this to some solid Body at the bottom of the Sea, from it arose a great many Pyramidal Bladders, liketo so many Funnels, beginning narrow, and increasing from the point at bottom for about three quarters of an Inch to the top, where was an undulated Crown or ledge surrounding the top. These Bladders were dark Yellow, like Glew or Parchment, some of them had inclosed a small buccinum, and others a hole, out of which I suppose it had crept, such Bladders being often found empty. The whole was very elegant, and doubtless the ova of some buccinum.
It was thrown up with the former about the month of December, on the great Sea side, beyond Port Royal near the Palisadoes.
These three last recited Substances, are, without question, nothing else but the Membranes, or Shells of the Eggs or Spawn of Fishes, though they have been reckoned Plants by the greatest number of Naturalists.