284 Dr. Francis HAM1LToN’s Commentary 
(Fl. Ind. 111.) the plant of the Flora Zeylanica with all the syno- 
nyma is called Euphorbia neriifolia; but a new quotation, the 
Ligularia of Rumphius (Herb. Amb. iv. 88. t. 40.), is introduced ; 
and, being evidently the kind with an angular stem, is probably 
the one meant by Burman, as he continues the term ** angulis 
oblique tuberculatis" in the specific character, and as the plant 
was common: yet what Rumphius says should have deterred 
Burman from quoting the E/a Calli ; for mentioning the affinity 
of the Ligularia with the Ela Calli, Rumphius says, ** hac iu re 
autem parum differunt, quod Amboinensis truncus sit pentago- 
nus et contortus instar fili." 
M. Lamarck (Enc. Meth. ii. 415.), although he quotes both 
the E/a Calli and the Ligularia, evidently shows that he meant 
the latter, as he mentions that its branches have five angles; and 
this is the kind common still in the gardens of Europe. He had 
probably observed that there was a difference in appearance 
between the plants of Rheede and Rumphius, as he says, ** Elle 
perd ses angles, et ses épines dans celles de ces parties qui ont 
vieilli:” but the extreme leafy branches of the Ela Calli are 
cylindrical, as appears from the figure. j 
Willdenow (Sp. PI. ii. 885.) quotes both Ligularia and Ela 
Calli ; but, although he hints at no difference, he continues pro- 
bably to mean the former. The Hortus Kewensis (ii. 157.), in 
quoting neither one nor the other, leaves us still perhaps more 
in the dark concerning his meaning. 
Although it would thus appear that the Ligularia has long 
been known in Europe, and was in fact the plant generally 
meant for the Euphorbia neriifolia since the time of Linnæus, 
yet it is by no means a common plant in the southern parts of 
India proper. Dr. Roxburgh, I know, had never noticed it twenty 
years ago; nor did I see it until I went to the north-east parts of 
Bengal in 1807. Previous to these times, Dr. Roxburgh and I 
had 
