on the Hortus Malabarióus, Part III. 85 
Katou Indel, he should have inquired whether the latter pro- 
duces a gum or resin (lachryma), such as was used by the Roman 
perfumers. This being by no means the case, the name Elate 
is improperly applied to the Katou Indel. 
Willdenow however (Sp. Pl. iv. 403.), and the Hortus Kew- 
ensis, v. 280, continue to describe the Katou Indel as the Elate, 
a genus distinct from the Phænix, and place it in Monecia hex- 
andria, probably because Rheede figures and describes only 
the female tree, the tria albicantia lanuginosa staminula, which 
he mentions, being the three pistilla. M. Lamarck (Enc. 
Meth. iii. 244.), although he continues to describe it as the 
Elate sylvestris, observes, ** C'est un Palmier qui nous paroit 
extrèmement voisin du Dattier (Phenix dactylifera) par ces 
rapports, et dont méme il est peut-étre une espèce.” "The only 
doubt I have is, whether or not it is to be considered as any 
thing else than merely the uncultivated variety of the Phenix 
dactylifera. Dr. Roxburgh indeed, an excellent authority, men- 
tions (Hort. Beng. 73.) both a Phenix dactylifera and a P. syl- 
vestris: which last I know to be the Katou Indel, although he 
does not quote it, deterred by the authority of so many great 
botanists: but then in this catalogue he inserts, under distinct 
‘names, plants which he admits to be mere varieties ; as for 
example, the Musa sapientum and M. paradisiaca, p. 19: and I 
must say, that looking with the utmost care at the common plant 
of India, and that known to have been brought from Arabia, like 
those in the garden of the late Tippoo Sultaun, when in a simi- 
lar state of growth,—that is, when the stems were only a foot or 
two in height, and before they began to flower, —l have not been 
able to see the smallest difference between them, except that the 
plant of Arabia was rather the largest and more vigorous. 
With such an extraordinary similarity, I should be very much 
indeed surprised to find that the proper Date of Arabia had 
only one pistillum ; but if this be the case, we must admi the 
species 
