on the Hortus Malabaricus, Part IT. 251 
from Jacquin, which I presume is also a mere variety. As, 
however, Willdenow saw all the five plants living, I beg to be 
understood as speaking with all due deference to the opinion of 
a very excellent botanist. All that I can say is, that I have seen 
four kinds of the Ricinus very commonly cultivated in India, 
and I think that there is nothing said by Willdenow to enable 
one to distinguish his plants from those I have seen. Tt is very 
possible, however, that this botanist may really have seen four 
different species, although from not having had an opportunity 
of seeing the R. communis in all its stages and varieties, he may 
not have selected the characteristic distinctions with sufficient 
accuracy. This I the more readily believe, because in the 
Hortus Keiensis (v. 331.) four of Willdenow's plants are men- 
tioned as distinct species, without quoting either Rheede or 
Rumphius. Yet M. Poiret, in the Supplement to the Encyclo- 
pédie, seems to adhere to his former opinion, and does not 
think any alteration necessary ; and Dr. Roxburgh considered 
that he had seen only one species in India ( Hort. Beng. 69.). 
I shall now mention the four varieties commonly cultivated in 
Bengal, and must observe, that two of them are evidently in- 
cluded by Rheede under the Cit Avanacu, ** cujus due species 
sunt, una cortice viridi-communi, altera rubro." Both these are 
almost always cultivated for the seed, and are therefore sown 
close, so as to stint their growth, and thus bring them early to 
flower; and, when they have ripened their seed, they are de- 
stroyed by the plough, a new sowing being more productive 
than if they were allowed to grow for several years: for, as 
Rheede observes, they will grow to be shrubs seven or eight feet 
high. Both are indiscriminately called by the natives Arinda, 
and often grow in the same field. 
EJ 
VOL. XIV. 9 L 1. R. caule 
