132 Dr. Francis HamiLron’s Commentary 
Tsserou Meer ALLou seu ALou, p.71. tab. 56. 
Rheede describes two species called Meer Alou; this, and the 
Atte Meer Alou mentioned in page 75 : and the two plants are very 
nearly allied, both belonging to the natural division of the genus 
. Ficus, which has pedunculated fruit; a circumstance generally 
connected with scabrous or very rigid leaves, having their sides 
either unequal or lobed or indented, while the species with sessile 
fruit have soft, entire, and equal-sided leaves. The resemblance 
~ between the two Meer Alous is striking not only to the vulgar of 
Malabar, but to the Brahmans, who give them both the generic 
appellation of Parai. The Tsjerou Meer Alou is the prototype of 
the genus Purai, having no specific name prefixed. Itis quoted 
with doubt in Willdenow (Sp. Pl. iv. 1145.) for the Ficus terebrata; - 
but as this has sessile fruit, we may safely reject the quotation, 
this circumstance, as I have said, being of the most essential 
importance in distinguishing the species of this genus. I at 
one time thought that it might be the plant of Rumphius figured 
in the 85th plate of the third volume, which in the explanation 
of the plate is called Varinga rubra; and this led me to suppose 
that it was the Supa or Varinga rubens: but I observe that this 
is an error, and that Rumphius describes no plant called Varinga 
rubra, while the 86th plate represents the Supa, a large tree. 
But plate 85 therefore represents no doubt the Varinga repens, 
a climber, which consequently cannot be the Tsjerou Meer Alou. 
I think it probable that the same erroneous explanation of the 
85th plate led M. Lamarck (Enc. Meth. ii. 497.) to quote it, 
although with doubt, for his Ficus pyrifolia (not that of Burman, 
Fi. Ind. 226.), which therefore may be very nearly allied to the 
Tsjerou Meer Alou, although M. Poiret'quotes this, in imitation 
of Willdenow, for Ficus terebrata (Enc. Meth. Sup. ii. 645.). I 
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