on the Hortus Malabaricus, Part IV. 229 
represented the least vestige of a calyx towards the pedunculus. The leaves, 
being opposite, prevent me from considering it allied to the Anavinga, and on 
the whole it seems more nearly allied to the Combretacee than to any other 
order, unless M. Lamarck's conjecture of the germen being above is well 
founded, in which case it would approach nearer the Laurine. 
BEnGIERI, seu Benairi, p. 105. tab. 51. 
Giri, corrupted from Girimaso of the Brahmans, would seem to be the 
generic name, and Ben to be a specific term. The Portuguese of Malabar 
have judged properly of its affinities, in classing it with the Phyllanthus Em- 
blica (Neli-ca) ; for it evidently belongs to the order of Euphorbic, and pos- 
sesses in an eminent degree the acrimony of this order, as expressed by the 
Portuguese and Dutch specific names. Few plants of the order, however, are 
less nearly allied to the Bengiri than the Emblica; nor is Commeline more 
fortunate than the vulgar Portuguese in classing it in the genus Ricinus. We 
may judge of the slow and gradual progress of improvement from these rude 
attempts at arrangement, by the name given to this plant by Plukenet (Alm. 
320.), who calls it “ Ricinus Indicus Patsjoti Malabarice foliis, fructu majore 
rotundo hexagono, Nilicamaram (Emblica) emulo." 
No subsequent notice was taken of this plant, until I found it in Tripura, 
and sent it in 1797 to Dr. Roxburgh, who again transmitted it to Willdenow 
under the name of Sapium Bengerium ; but Willdenow published it under 
the name of Sapium indicum (Sp. Pl. iv. 572.), adopted since by Roxburgh 
(Hort. Beng. 69.) and M. Poiret (Enc. Méth. Suppl. ii. 796.). I have found 
the tree very common in the Delta of the Ganges, and the Bengalese called 
it to me Hurmayi; but in the Hortus Bengalensis they are said to call it 
Hoorooa, Y suppose a typographical error, the second oo having been printed 
in place of m. In 1801, I found it common in the woods of Malabar, speci- 
mens from which were given to Sir J. E. Smith under the name of Sapium 
Hurmais; others from Bengal, under the name adopted by Willdenow, have 
been placed in the library at the India House. 
I have called it a Sapium in compliance with the systematic authors of the 
day, without taking into consideration the foundations on which this genus 
rests; for it is no doubt true, as M. Poiret justly remarks, that thisgenus 
2n2 
