Plate Number: II 96

Prunus maritima racemosa, folio rotundo glabro; fructu minore purpureo: The Mangrove Grape Tree

The Trunks of these Trees are frequently two Feet thick, and seldom aspire above the Height of twenty or twenty-five Feet, the Bark is smooth, and of a brown Colour, the Leaves are set alternately, they are thick, broad, and almost round; and are eight, and some ten Inches Diameter: their middle Ribs are large and of a purple Colour, as are the smaller Veins; below the Pedicles of the Leaves, the Stalks are surrounded with a thin Purple Skin, or Membrane, an Inch in Width. The Flower-Stalks are usually ten Inches long, thick, succulent, and spongy, and rise at the Pedicles of the Leaves, usually standing upright, these Stalks except about three Inches of their lower Parts are thick set to the End; with small pentapetalous, greenish white Flowers, with yellow Stamina: These Flowers are succeeded by Pear shaped Fruit, about the Bigness of Cherries, resembling them also in the Consistence of their Pulp, and smooth Skin, but are of a purple Colour, inclosing a roundish Shell, thinner than that of a Filbert, and pointed at one End, within which lies the Kernel, of a singular and pretty Form, being flat at one End, and conic at the other, divided by three deep Furrows. This Fruit has a refreshing agreeable Taste, and is efteem'd very wholesome, but if the Stone be kept long in the Mouth, it is violently astringent: I never saw any but what grew near the Sea. They are plentiful on many of the Bahama IsIands, and in many other Countries between the Tropicks, but are no where to be found North or South of them: The Flower-stalk when the Fruit approaches to Ripeness, is shrunk, and much less than when the Blossoms were on it.

Dampier says the Wood of this Tree makes a strong Fire, therefore used by the Privateers to harden the Steels of their Guns, when faulty.

Phalaena Caroliniana, minor; fulva, maculis nigris alba linea,pulchre aspersis

This Moth has a dusky white Body, with a few black Spots near the Head; the two upper Wings are yellow, each of which is crossed by six while lines, spotted with black; the two under Wings are red, with their lower Parts verged with black. These Moths are found in Carolina.