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XII. A Commentary on the Second Part of the Hortus Malaba- 

 ricus. By Francis Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. and L.S. 



Read April 1, 1823. 



Kaida, p. 1, Jig. 2, 3, 4, 5. 



In the reference to the figures prefixed to the text, the 1st plate 

 is also quoted for the Kaida; but on the plate itself it is marked 

 Kaida Taddi; and, that this is no mistake, is clear from the 

 figure. Plate 2. represents the lower part of a branch, PI. 3. 

 represents the upper part of a branch, or young shoot, PI. 4. 

 the male flower, and PI. 5. the female flower and fruit. 



The first four plants described in this volume form a genus of 

 a singular appearance, which Rheede called Kaida, probably 

 from some mistake, as Rumphius {Herb. Amb. iv. 141.) says 

 that the name was unknown to such of the natives of Malabar 

 as he consulted, who called these plants Dare. Kaida however 

 may be derived from the Arabic Kadhi, a colony from Arabia, 

 under the name of Moplay, having been very long settled in 

 Malabar. 



Before the time of Rheede this singular genus was confounded 

 by botanists with the Ananas. Ray, however, seems to have 

 been dissatisfied with this classification, but did not attempt to 

 class it further than by calling it Fruiex indicus. Plukenet at 

 first {Aim. 277-) attempted another classification, calling a spe- 

 cies, which he had received from Alexander Brown, Palmce 



VOL. XIV. 2 A affinis 



