484 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentary 



EhENGi,p. 33. Jig. 20. 

 M ww sops Elengi of authors. 



Maniapumeram, p. 35. Jig. 21. 

 Nyctanthes arbor truth of authors : called Scabrita by some late 



innovators. 

 Mania is probably the proper native name, Pu signifying 

 flower, and Maram tree. In Pegu I was shown this as the tree 

 on which the inhabitants reared a silkworm, probably the same 

 with the Tessar of Bengal, on which account the people there 

 call it Vo-za ban, Bombycis arbor. In India Proper the tube of 

 the corolla is used as a dye. 



Conn a, p. 37. Jig. 22. 

 Cassia Jistula of authors. 

 Gflertner was perhaps excusable in thinking that the Cassia of 

 Linnreus should be divided into two genera, Cassia and Senna, 

 as Tournefort had done : but for what reason Persoon proposes 

 to change the decent enough name Cassia into the uncouth Ca- 

 thartocarpus, I cannot say. Bad as this name is, Willdenow 

 has lately contrived a worse, and the Cassia is now become 

 Bactyrolobium. I must further observe, that the Linnaean gene- 

 ric character, taken from the stamina, distinguishes these plants 

 from all others with facility : while the limits between the Cas- 

 sias and Sennas, drawn from the structure of the legume, are 

 not easily to be defined even in species which differ remarkably 

 in their general appearance. Thus the fruit of the Cassia sophera 

 does not properly open into valves, and is divided by transverse 

 membranes into many cells, somewhat like the Cassia Jistula ; 

 but in other respects it resembles much the true Senna, while 

 many species, in size and splendour of flowers, resemble the Cas- 

 sia Jistula, but produce a leafy legumen opening with two flat 



valves. 



