282 Dr. Francis Hamitton’s Commentary 
now called Euphorbia antiquorum ; nor did the younger Bur- 
man (Fl. Ind. 110.) nor Willdenow (Sp. PI. ii. 881.) make any 
change in the synonyma. This supposition, however, rests solely, 
I believe, on the authority of Commeline, copied from one bo- 
tanist to another, and taken up by him, I think, on inadequate 
proof: and it must be observed, that C. Bauhin, a better autho- 
rity, considered the Euphorbium to be quite a different species, 
now called Euphorbia officinarum, which is a native of Africa. 
Even the most accurate botanists speak too loosely on such sub- 
jects: for instance, M. Lamarck, speaking of the juice of the 
Schadida Calli (Enc. Meth. ii. 413.), ‘ Ce suc epaissi et desseché 
constitue la gomme-resine connue dans les boutiques sous le nom 
d'Euphorbe." I ask, who ever saw this done? He afterwards 
indeed justly remarks, that the juice of the E. officinarum is more 
commonly employed ; and in describing the latter plant he says 
(l.c. 415.), ** Il découle de sa tige, soit naturellement, soit par 
incision, un suc laiteux, qui s'épaissit à l'air, se condense, et se 
dessèche en petits morceaux friables d'une jaune pale, et qu'on 
apporte en Europe, où il est connu sous le nom d'Euphorbe." I 
ask again, who ever saw such a gum on the Euphorbium antiquo- 
rum? I have without success inquired for a gum produced by 
this tree, in various parts where it grew in abundance. 
Era Carr, p.83. fig. 43. 
Commeline only states, that this 1s a species of Euphorbium not 
previously described: but what shows the loose manner in which 
he wrote, he says “ nullum est dubium, quin idem gummi cum 
priore producat ;" although he admits that the gum of the former 
was unknown in the country where it grows: **videtur autem 
Malabaribus modus colligendi gummi esse incognitus." 
Plukenet considered the E/a Calli as his Tithymalus zeylanicus 
spinosus arborescens (Alm. 369.), which had been described by 
Breynius 
