216 Dr. Francis Hamitton’s Commentary 
scabris (Fl. Zeyl. 172.). In this further, Linnzeus remarks, “ calyces in race- 
mos collecti, nec caulem terminantes ut in M. foliis quinquenerviis.” The 
synonyma must be, therefore, almost totally changed, only it remains uncertain 
whether the Hin Bothya of the Ceylonese belongs to the Kadali or Katou 
Kadali, Linneus giving it to the plant with three nerves, while Burman gives 
it to one with five. This can only be determined by an inspection of Herman’s 
collection. In the mean time, we may consider as synonymous the following 
plants : 
Kadali. Hort. Malab. iv. t. 42. 
Melastoma scabra trinervia. Burm. Thes. Zeyl. 154. t. 72. 
Melastoma foliis lanceolatis trinerviis scabris. Linn. Fl. Zeyl. 172. 
Rumphius evidently described the Kadali, as he himself remarks, under the 
name of Fragrarius niger (Herb. Amb. iv. 137. t. 72.), which we may safely add 
to the synonyma ; for in its leaves it has only three nerves. 
In the Flora Indica of the younger Burman (104, 105.) most of the errors of 
the Flora Zeylanica are followed, while the Kadali and Fragrarius niger are - 
quoted for the Melastoma Malabathrica, which is the M. foliis quinquenerviis of 
the Flora Zeylanica; and, still further, the same Kadali, joined with the Fra- 
grarius ruber of Rumphius, which is probably not of the same genus or order, 
is also quoted for the M. aspera, the same with the M. foliis lanceolatis tri- 
nerviis scabris of the Flora Zeylanica. This latter opinion entirely coincides 
with mine; and, if copied from the Species Plantarum of Linnzeus, removes 
his authority for making the Kadali the M. Malabathrica, and we may quote 
among the synonyma of the Kadali the M. aspera (Burm. Fl. Ind. 105.). 
Willdenow still, however, persisted in quoting the Kadali and Fragrarius 
niger for the M. Malabathrica, although the only real authority for this plant 
is the elder Burman (Thes. Zeyl. t. 73.). 
The M. aspera of M. La Desrousseaux (Enc. Méth. iv. 37.) is quite a dif- 
ferent plant from that of Linnzeus and Burman, being a native of Madagascar; 
and under the M. Malabathrica (36.) he quotes both the Kadali with three 
nerves and the Katou Kadali with five nerves; the latter, indeed, he quotes 
with doubt; yet his plant, according to his description, has five nerves, and 
what he says is perfectly applicable to the M. Malabathrica in everything 
