There are, perhaps, few plants, that have been long cul- 
tivated in our collections, which are less understood and 
which require more illustration by figures, than the various 
species of the old Genus Diosma of the Cape, and which 
now constitute a section of the Nat. Ord. Ruracesm, of which 
Messrs. Bartring and WenpLanp, in an excellent little 
work, entitled ““ Diosmez Descripte et Illustrate,” (Goet- 
tingen, 1824,) have constituted nine distinct Genera. The 
individual now figured is an old inhabitant of our green- 
houses, where it has gone under various names, such as 
Diosma crenata, D. latifolia, D. odorata, &c. WENDLAND 
figured it under the name of Paraperairera odorata in his 
Colect. 1. t. 15, but he afterwards made it the var. 6. of 
Diosma serratifolia, Curt. Mag. p. 456, and has referred to 
the same var. the D. crenata, of Linn., Tuuns., Wittp., &c. 
But surely if it can be proved to be the D. crenulata (not 
crenata) of Linn. Amen. Acad., that name ought to be 
adopted, in preference to any other : and Linnaus’s descrip- 
tion does appear to me to be so characteristic, (“* Rami ru- 
bentes. Folia glabra, lanceolata-ovalia, obtusa, petiolata 
subtus punctis adspersa, margine obsolete serrata, puncto 
pellucido intra singulam senaturam,” &c.) that, for my own 
part, | have no hesitation in preferring the name. My opi- 
nion is further strengthened by a remark of Sir J. E. Sura 
in Rees’s Cyclopedia, where he notices the great affinity of 
the D. serratifolia (a supposed Australian species) with the 
D. crenata of Linnzus. Of the true D. serratifolia, 1 have 
only seen cultivated specimens; they have much longer, 
narrower, and acuminated leaves, marked with raised glands 
on the upper surface, as well observed by Mr. Curris, and 
with three distinct nerves, as figured and described by VEN- 
TENAT (Jardin de Malmaison, t. 7 7.) decidedly serrated 
leaves, and always pure white flowers: so that I have no 
hesitation in keeping these two distinct. The D. serratifo- 
ha of Burcue.t, (Travels, v. 1. p. 476, figure,) if the shape 
of the leaves be correct, I can have no hesitation in refer- 
ring to our crenulata ; the valuable properties of which as 
an internal medicine, and as an outward application* for 
healing 
* A Hottentot being severely wounded by the bursting of a gun, his 
companions expressed so much faith in the powers of Bookoe-azyn (Bookoo 
Vinegar) as a wash to cleanse and heal the wound, that I allowed it to be 
used. Our small stock of this liquid soon failing, we had recourse to an in- 
fusion of the Diosma leaves in brandy, with which the injured part was 
washed night and morning for two or three weeks, the effect of this applica 
tion 
