# A Voyage to the Islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica/Volume 1/Book 1/Chapter 16

Chap. XVI.
Of Herbs with bulbous Roots, those of their Kindred, and of Herbs with Flowers that have six or more Petala or coloured Leaves.
I. Narcissus totus albus latifolius polyanthos major odoratus, staminibus sex è tubi ampli margine extantibus. Cat. p. 115. Autre sorte de Lys. Rochef. tabl. p. 112. Narcissus Americanus, flore multiplici albo odore balsami Peruviani. Tournef. Inst. p. 358. White Lilly.
This has a tunicated bulb as large as ones Fist, made up of one white thick Coat over another, as Onions, and having at base many white fibers, by which it draws its Nourishment. The Leaves are two Foot long, about three Inches broad, channel'd, or being a little concave in the inside, very green, juicy and smooth. In the middle of these rises a flat Stalk, four Foot high, not hollow, but fill'd with a fungous Matter, when cut dropping water, about one third part of an Inch thick, and being sharp at the edges. At the top of this are six or seven, or more white Flowers, standing each on a six Inches long Foot-Stalk, each of which has a white large Tubus, having six Ribs, very long Stamina, or Lingulæ with long Apices, dividing it into so many parts, and standing up above the Flower on its edge or margin two Inches long, being there of a green colour. A Stylus of the same colours, is in the middle. There are six white, five Inches long, very narrow, divided Petala, which stand between the aforesaid Lingulæ.
The Flowers of this Plant have a very fragrant smell.
It grows in the Savanna's beyond the Black River in the Low-Land Woods every where in Jamaica, in the Woods in St. Christophers, and by the Roads in Barbados.
It is not only coveted as as ornamental and pleasant in Gardens, but likewise the Roots are us'd all over these Islands, in lieu of White-Lilly-Roots for Maturating Cataplasms.
II. Lilio-narcissus polyanthos, flore incarnato, fundo ex luteo albescente. Cat. p. 115. Lilium Americanum, puniceo flore, bella donna dictum. Herm. par. Bat. p. 194. Lys des Antilles pareilles à nos Lys jaunes ow Orangers. Rochef. Tabl. p. 122. Lilio-narcissus Americanus puniceo flore Bella donna dictus. Plukenet. Alm. p. 220.
The Root of this is no larger than that of a great Onion, or the half of ones Fist, a little oblong, made up of many white Tunicles or Coats, inclosing one another, after the manner of Onions, having under its Base many whitish fibers drawing its Nourishment. The Leaves are one Foot ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/416 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/417 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/418 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/419 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/420 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/421 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/422 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/423 ​Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/424 ​This has a two or three Inches long, jointed Root, as big as ones Thumb; white, tapering, each internodium being half an Inch long, and at the joint having several two or three Inches long fibers to draw its Nourishment from the Earth. From this Root rise several Leaves, having three Inches long, broad, Foot-Stalks, inclosing one another with a white Ring at the Leaves setting on, they are four Inches long, and two broad, near the round Base, where broadest: thin, nervous, grassie, and of a yellowish green colour, in every thing like the Canna Indica. The Flowers, by their Buds, seem to agree in every thing with the foregoing, only are smaller.
This Plant was first brought from the Island Dominica, by Colonel James Walker, to Barbados, and there planted. From hence it was sent to Jamaica, being very much esteem'd for its Alexipharmack qualities. That Gentleman observed the Native Indians used the Root of this Plant with success, against the Poison of their Arrows, by only mashing and applying it to the poison'd Wounds.
The Root of this bruised and applied remedies the Poison of the Mançaneel and Wasps of Guadaloupe, even stopping a begun Gangreen. Tertre. Rochef.
I am inclinable to think this to be mentioned by Harcourt to grow in Guiana, where he says that the Juice of the Leaf called Uppee, cures the Wound of the Poisoned Arrows. Harcourt ap. Purchas, lib. 6. cap. 6. p. 1276. and by Sir Walter Rawleigh, where he tells us that there is a Root called Tupara, the Juice serving for ordinary Poison, quenching the heat of burning Fevers, healing inward Wounds, and Veins bleeding within the Body, Sir Walter Raleigh, p. 59. ap. Hakl. p. 649. I believe this also to be that Root spoke of by Lopez de Gomara, to be a Counter-poison to the Mançaneel, which he says grows in Cartagena, and was said to be the Herb wherewith Alexander heal'd Ptolomy, and which was discovered by a Moor in Catalonia, and was called Scorçonera, in which he might be easily mistaken, there being some resemblance between the Root of this Plant and of that.
Job Horton. ap. Hakl. p. 3. p. 487, says that eight of their Men, with their General and Captain Dudley, going ashore at Cape Verd, were by the Negros there wounded with poisoned Arrows, amongst which the eight died, the General being cured by a Clove of Garlick drawing the Poison out of his Wound, he being taught it by a Negro.
XX: Alsinefolia per terram sparsa, flore hexapetalo purpureo. Cat. p. 122.
This from a small, fibrous Root, sends out several Branches lying along the Ground, red, of about a Foot in length, having Leaves like those of Chickweed, set one against another at equal distances along the Stalk: the Flowers stand at the ends of the Branches are few hexapetalous, of a purple colour. After these follows a green Head, inclosing several roundish, flat, brown Seeds.
It grows every where in the Savannas, especially in dry places.