( 2332 ) 

 DlOSMA ERICOIDES. SWEET-SCENTED DlOSMA. 



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 Class and Order. 



PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



Generic Character. 



Cor. 5-petaIa. Nectaria 5, supra germen. Caps. 3, s. 5, 

 coalitae. Semina calyptrata. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 



Diosma ericoides ; foliis lineari-lanceolatis subtus convexis 



bifariam imbricatis. Sp. PL 287. Mill. ic. 1. p. 84 



t. 124. / 2. 

 Diosma ericoides; foliis trigonis obtusis glabris floribus 



terminalibus subsolitariis. Willd. Sp. PI. 1. p. 1135. 



Thunb. Prodr. 43 ? Hort. Kern. ed. alt. 2. p. 30. 

 Diosma foliis setaceis acutis. Hort. Cliff. 72. n. 3. 

 SpirjEA africana lariceis foliis floribus albis, Buchu Hotten- 



tottorum. Raj. Dendr. 91. 

 Eric^formis Coridis folio asthiopica, floribus pentapetalis 



in apicibus. Pluk. Amalth 236. t. 279. /. 5. 



The Diosma ericoides ; is a low branched shrub, bearing 

 a few small white flowers at the extremities of the branches. 

 The leaves, when rubbed, give out a very aromatic, pun- 

 gent odour, which has no admixture of the foxy smell so 

 offensive in several species of the genus. 



From the leaves of this shrub the Hottentots prepare a 

 powder which they call Buku ; with this powder mixed 

 with grease they anoint themselves for the sake of the 

 perfume. It is supposed that the Hottentots use for this 

 purpose indiscriminately the leaves of several species of 

 Diosma ; but the powder prepared from one particular 

 kind is said to be much more highly prized than the rest ; 

 in so much that a very small quantity, less than a thimble 



full, 



