556 



Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentary 



Cassia cinnamomea strictiore folio ignobilior, cujus folium est 

 Malabathrum vel Tamalapatrum angustifolium, in officinis 

 frequens. Pluk. Aim. 89- 



Taj Bengalensium. 



Colitur in hortis Camrupa3.. 



Arbor magnitudine mediocris, ramis teretibus, glabris. Folia 

 nunc opposita, tunc in eadem arbore alterna, e tribus ad 

 quinque pollices longa, unicum circiter lata, oblonga sed 

 medium infra latiora, utrinque acuminata, margine cartila- 

 gineo integerrima, crassa, supra nitida, subtus glabra et 

 glauca, triplinervia, venis minute reticulata. Petiolus bre- 

 vissimus, canaliculatus, glaber, estipulaceus. Panicula ter- 

 minalis, sessilis, folio longior, brachiata, trichotoma, diva- 

 ricata, rachi quadrangulari, ramis compressis glabris. Flores 

 parvi, in capitulis subcongesti : expansos non vidi. Bacca 

 calyce obsolete sexlobo cincta, ovalis, utrinque obtusa, 

 magnitudine pisi majoris. Semen unicum ovatum. Coty- 

 ledoncs crassae, hinc planae. Radicula adscendens. Cortex 

 ramorum parum aromaticus. Folia valde aromatica, odore 

 Cinnamomi forti. Siccata ubique in Bengala pro Mala- 

 bathro vel Tejpatra venalia. 



The Tamala is readily distinguished from the Carua or Cassia 

 by the smallness of its berry, that of the Carua resembling a 

 small acorn. The Culit lawan of Dr. Roxburgh is distinguished 

 by having the flowers collected by threes. 



Besides both this Tamala and the Culit lawan of Dr. Roxburgh, 

 I have met with some other species that approach very near to 

 the Carua. 



1. At Nathpur, on the Cosi river, I obtained specimens of 

 another tree called Taj by the natives, but its leaves and bark- 

 were destitute of the aromatic smell and taste by which the Ta- 

 mala 



