Dioscorea, DIOECIA HEXANDRIA, 80l 
7. D. fasciculata, R. 
Tubers pendulous, Stems wilt twining,round ; prickles 
stipulary. Leaves alternate, round, cordate, five-nerved, 
Beng. Soosni-alvo, 
This species is cultivated to a considerable extent, in the 
vicinity of Calcutta, not onke for food, but to make starch 
of the roots, 
oot consists of many tubers, about the size and shape of 
a pullet’s egg, connected by slender filaments to the base of 
the stems, covered with a pretty smooth, light coloured, thin 
integument; internally they are white, Stems several, about 
as thick as a pack-thread, twining round, smooth, except 
here and there a small prickle, and always two at the in- 
_sertion of each leaf; these I call the stipules. Leaves alter- 
nate, long-petioled, round-cordate, entire, pointed, from three 
seven-nerved, venose, slightly villous. F 
I have not met with the flowers of either sex. The cul- 
ture and use of the roots of the various species before and 
hereafter mentioned, are subjects too well known, to require 
any thing further from me in this place; my aim is to assist 
in clearing up the obscurity, in which the valuable plants 
of this genus have hitherto been enveloped, not only with a 
view to gratify the Botanist, but to point out marks by which 
_ the species may be distinguished by those who are not Bo- 
tanists, And the best will generally be found in the shape 
and colour of the root, These are permanent, and by them 
the Hindoo cultivator is guided; but, I fear, the criticising 
Botanist may find fault with me for having disregarded the 
Linnean rule, which forbids placing confidence in colour. 
In that case he must consider D, globosa, rubella and pur- 
purea, as varieties of the same species to which, he has wy 
hearty consent, if he finds it a more convenienc mode, than 
that which I have followed. 
8. D, pulchella, R. ) , 
Tubers roundish, and rather small. Stems herbacevus, 
VOL, If}, « #W< 
