REV. 8. MATEER ON THE TAMIL POPULAR NAMES OF PLANTS. 25 
1568 ; these are still found in commerce and are derived respec- 
tively from Alpinia Galanga, Willd., and A. officinarum, Hance. 
5. Galangal is still used throughout Europe, but is consumed 
most largely in Russia. It is also used in India, and is shipped 
to ports in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. 
Remarks on the Tamil Popular Names of Plants. 
By The Rev. S. Matter, F.L.S. 
[Read March 2, 1871.] 
Havine had the opportunity during a residence of some years in 
Travancore of becoming familiar with the popular names of plants 
in two of the vernacular languages, Tamil and Malayalim, I have 
drawn up for my own use somewhat complete lists of such names. 
In examining these vocabularies I have often noticed with interest 
traces of some of the mental peculiarities and notions of the 
Hindus, and obtained many little items of curious information. 
In offering a few remarks on this subject, I shall refer almost ex- 
clusively to the Tamil language, which is much more complete and 
highly cultivated than the Malayalim. 
Considerable difficulty is experienced by Europeans in the at- 
tempt to ascertain from the natives the correct vernacular names 
of plants. Many of the people pretend to be acquainted with 
the indigenous plants, but are utterly incapable of recognizing 
or identifying the different species with any thing like certainty. 
Repeated questioning, careful cross-examination, and persevering 
inquiries in different parts of the Tamil country are necessary, in 
order to obtain a reasonable degree of assurance on many points 
connected with this subject. And it may be observed in passing 
that even in English works the transliteration into our own cha- 
racters of the vernacular designations of plants is often executed 
with most discreditable carelessness and want of method or uni- 
formity. , - 
Great inaccuracy and a general absence of scientific system ob- 
tains in the Tamil botanical nomenclature. Some attempt, how- 
ever, at a rough natural system of classification may be discerned 
in the native mode of naming plants which might, perhaps, to 
some little extent be availed of in the composition of botanical 
works in Tamil. Certain general terms are applied to classes of 
plants bearing some apparent resemblance or external similarity 
