sufficient size: yet not so old as to be full of fibres, which 
render it unfit for commerce. 
Soon after it is dug up, the root is cut into slices, strung 
on cords, and hung up to dry in the shade. It is deemed 
fit for commerce, when, on exposure to the sun, it breaks 
short ; and of a bad quality when it is soft or black. It is 
held in high esteem among the natives, even those who 
reside at a great distance from Mozambique, for the cure 
of dysentery, which is frequent among them ; for healing 
ulcers, and as a remedy for almost every disorder. 
Dr. Berry obtained this information from Monsieur 
Fortin, who, when at Mozambique, and engaged in pur- 
chasing the dried root, as an article of trade, procured an 
entire living offset of a larger size than usual. This he 
brought with him to Madras, in September, 1805; and 
presented it to Dr. James Anprrson, the Physician General, 
who justly esteemed it a valuable acquisition to India. 
This being planted, produced a male plant, from which 
Dr. Berry’s figure and description were made. That gen- 
tleman was ignorant of the circumstance of Lamarck having 
published it from dried specimens, as the MenispermuM 
palmatum, nor has he given it a scientific name; but he 
rightly judged it to belong to “ the Sarmentacem of Lin- 
nzus, the Menispermum of Jussieu.” Among the Africans 
its name is Kalumb. It is spelt Kalumbo by the Portu- 
guese, in whose language the o is mute; and,- from this, 
Dr. Berry tells us, the name originated by which this 
valuable root is known to Europe. It is a staple export of 
the Portuguese from Mozambique ; and, when we consider 
the quantity exported, it is certainly an extraordinary cir- 
cumstance that the native country of the plant was not 
more generally known. 
Still the female flower was a desideratum; and Dr 
Canvotte, the last botanical author perhaps who has de- 
scribed the plant (apparently from Commerson’s specimens 
in the Parisian Museum), was obliged to declare that he 
ae ignorant of the structure of the female flowers and 
ruit. 
For the means of making them known to the botanists 
of Europe, I am mainly indebted to the indefatigable exer- 
tions of my often-mentioned friend Cuartes Tetratr, Esq. 
of the Mauritius. From that gentleman, through the 
hands of Roserr Barctay, Esq., I have received no less 
than three atlas folio sheets of drawings, representing por- 
tions of this plant of the natural size, with admirable dissec- 
tions, executed by Professor Boyzr, aided in the colouring 
: by 
