260 Dr. Francis HAMILTON’'s Commentary 
capsula ovata. Itis true, that the Burmas assured me that they 
often eat the leaves as a vegetable; while Rumphius says “in tota 
plànta, ac potissimum in ejus foliis vehemens detegitur fervor, 
ipsum superans Piper." Little reliance is however to be placed 
on the assertions of the Burmas who accompanied me, they being 
mostly boatmen, and persons who would be diverted by deceiv- 
ing a stranger in such particulars, as I know by sad experience, 
having been almost choked in attempting to eat an Arum, which 
they pretended to be remarkably good. We cannot either rely 
much on the figure of Rumphius, as his blindness prevented him 
from detecting errors in his draughtsmen. What he says in the 
description respecting the fruit is entirely applicable to my 
plant. 
Conr Avanacu or CADI AvANACU, p- 63. t. 34. 
In 1814 this plant had been lately sent by Mr. Ker to the 
Botanical Garden at Calcutta from China; so that Dr. Rox- 
burgh may not have seen it there; nor is it included in the Ca- 
talogue of Plants growing there, published by Dr. Carey. But 
there I found it thriving, and have given specimens to the Col- 
lection of the East India Company. ‘The name Cadi on the 
figure is no doubt a typographical error, as is clear from the 
Arabic characters ; yet it is now generally quoted. 
Commeline admits that this plant has been erroneously classed 
with the Ricinus; but mentions its affinity with the Lathyris of 
C. Dauhin, one of the genera united by Linnæus with Euphorbia. 
Plukenet, however, admits of a resemblance to both, and calls it 
Ricinus malabaricus fruticescens, Lathyridis facie, fructu in folio- 
rum alis echinato (Alm. 321.). The affinity to the Euphorbia is 
so strong, as to have induced Hermann to call it Tithymalus te- 
nellus Indicus foliis Linarie raris, the Tithymalus being another 
of the genera united by Linnæus with Euphorbia. | 
The 
