Opening the text

Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river NigerGray, William, Major

History

Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger

Name: Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger
Author: Gray, William, Major

Gray, William, Major

Sudan (Region) -- Description and travel

GEN. CHAR. _Spatha_ monophylla, cucullata. _Spadix_ supra nudus,
inferne fœmineus, medio stamineus. _Willd._

Arum _aphyllum_; spadice apice magno subgloboso rugoso spatha
ovato-cucullata, breviore scapo aphyllo.

HAB. Locis mentosis saxosis Tingalinta. Fl. mense Februarii.

_Radix_, ut videtur, tuberosa.

_Folia_ omnino nulla.

_Bracteæ_ duæ, fere omnino subterraneæ, tres uncias longæ,
lanceolatæ, membranæ, pallidæ, ad basin scapi.

_Scapus_ palmaris ad spithamæus, parte superiore (2-3 uncias) e
terra emergens, teres, glaber, succulentus, inferne fere albidus,
superne roseus.

_Spatha_ diametro 3 ad 4 uncias, ovato-ventricosa, obliqua, obtusa
cum mucronula, marginibus involuta, basi etiam convoluta, pallide
rosea, lineis saturationibus pulcherrime picta.

_Spadix_, basi, ubi flores inserti, cylindraceus, apice magnus (duas
uncias latus) ovato-globosus, obliquus, carnosus, extus rugosus,
intense roseus, intus spongeosus, albus.

_Antheræ_ numerosæ, purpureæ, sessiles, apice loculis duobus
horizontalibus dehiscentes, purpurescentes.

_Pistilla_ sub antheras inserta, pauciora. _Germen_ globosum,
viride. _Stylus_ breviusculus, purpureus. _Stigma_ peltatum.

_Fig._ 1. Plant, _natural size_:—all below the line indicated by
the letters _a—b_ is subterraneous. _Fig._ 2. Front view of the
spatha. _Fig._ 3. Spadix removed from the spatha. c., the circle
of anthers, d. the circle of pistils. _Fig._ 4. Section of the
spadix. _Fig._ 5. Anther. _Fig._ 6. Pistil, of which the germen is
cut through vertically. The 5th and 6th figures are magnified.

Of this singular and beautiful plant I can find no description, yet
it appears to be not uncommon in Senegal. The Jolofs, particularly
in the country of Cayor, eat the root, when other and better kinds of
nourishment fail them. They dry the root and boil it, thus employing
heat to extract that poisonous juice with which all the individuals
of this natural family are known to abound. It is not, however,
eaten at Tingalinta, nor in the district of the Sousous where it is
found in equal plenty.

[Illustration: _G. Scharf Lithog:_

_Printed by C. Hullmandel._

_Arum aphyllum._

_London. Pubd. by J. Murray, Albemarle Street. 1825._]


                                TAB. B.

                      TABERNÆMONTANA GRANDIFLORA.
                 CLASS AND ORDER—PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
                       _Natural Order—Apocyneæ._

GEN. CHAR. _Contorta_. _Corolla_ hypocrateriformis; _tubus_
angulato-strictus, basi subglobosus. _Folliculi_ 2, horizontales.
_Semina_ pulpæ immersa (_Fol. opposita_).

Tabernæmontana _Africana_, foliis ovato-lanceolatis oppositis,
floribus axillaribus solitariis: tubo corollæ spiraliter torto,
medio inflato.

HAB. Kacundy.

_Arbor_ mediocris vel _Frutex_, ramis subdeclinatis.

_Folia_ opposita, ovato-lanceolata, basi apiceque subalterneata,
integerrima, glabra, nervosa, nervis parallelis.

_Flores_ solitarii, axillares, versus apicem ramorum, pedunculati.
_Pedunculus_ longiusculus, crassus.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river NigerGray, William, Major

History

Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger

Gray, William, Major

Sudan (Region) -- Description and travel

GEN. CHAR. _Spatha_ monophylla, cucullata. _Spadix_ supra nudus,
inferne fœmineus, medio stamineus. _Willd._

Arum _aphyllum_; spadice apice magno subgloboso rugoso spatha
ovato-cucullata, breviore scapo aphyllo.

HAB. Locis mentosis saxosis Tingalinta. Fl. mense Februarii.

_Radix_, ut videtur, tuberosa.

_Folia_ omnino nulla.

_Bracteæ_ duæ, fere omnino subterraneæ, tres uncias longæ,
lanceolatæ, membranæ, pallidæ, ad basin scapi.

_Scapus_ palmaris ad spithamæus, parte superiore (2-3 uncias) e
terra emergens, teres, glaber, succulentus, inferne fere albidus,
superne roseus.

_Spatha_ diametro 3 ad 4 uncias, ovato-ventricosa, obliqua, obtusa
cum mucronula, marginibus involuta, basi etiam convoluta, pallide
rosea, lineis saturationibus pulcherrime picta.

_Spadix_, basi, ubi flores inserti, cylindraceus, apice magnus (duas
uncias latus) ovato-globosus, obliquus, carnosus, extus rugosus,
intense roseus, intus spongeosus, albus.

_Antheræ_ numerosæ, purpureæ, sessiles, apice loculis duobus
horizontalibus dehiscentes, purpurescentes.

_Pistilla_ sub antheras inserta, pauciora. _Germen_ globosum,
viride. _Stylus_ breviusculus, purpureus. _Stigma_ peltatum.

_Fig._ 1. Plant, _natural size_:—all below the line indicated by
the letters _a—b_ is subterraneous. _Fig._ 2. Front view of the
spatha. _Fig._ 3. Spadix removed from the spatha. c., the circle
of anthers, d. the circle of pistils. _Fig._ 4. Section of the
spadix. _Fig._ 5. Anther. _Fig._ 6. Pistil, of which the germen is
cut through vertically. The 5th and 6th figures are magnified.

Of this singular and beautiful plant I can find no description, yet
it appears to be not uncommon in Senegal. The Jolofs, particularly
in the country of Cayor, eat the root, when other and better kinds of
nourishment fail them. They dry the root and boil it, thus employing
heat to extract that poisonous juice with which all the individuals
of this natural family are known to abound. It is not, however,
eaten at Tingalinta, nor in the district of the Sousous where it is
found in equal plenty.

[Illustration: _G. Scharf Lithog:_

_Printed by C. Hullmandel._

_Arum aphyllum._

_London. Pubd. by J. Murray, Albemarle Street. 1825._]


                                TAB. B.

                      TABERNÆMONTANA GRANDIFLORA.
                 CLASS AND ORDER—PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
                       _Natural Order—Apocyneæ._

GEN. CHAR. _Contorta_. _Corolla_ hypocrateriformis; _tubus_
angulato-strictus, basi subglobosus. _Folliculi_ 2, horizontales.
_Semina_ pulpæ immersa (_Fol. opposita_).

Tabernæmontana _Africana_, foliis ovato-lanceolatis oppositis,
floribus axillaribus solitariis: tubo corollæ spiraliter torto,
medio inflato.

HAB. Kacundy.

_Arbor_ mediocris vel _Frutex_, ramis subdeclinatis.

_Folia_ opposita, ovato-lanceolata, basi apiceque subalterneata,
integerrima, glabra, nervosa, nervis parallelis.

_Flores_ solitarii, axillares, versus apicem ramorum, pedunculati.
_Pedunculus_ longiusculus, crassus.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger

Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger

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