on the Hortus Malaharicus, Part II. 185 



major, serrata et sylvestris of preceding authors. On comparing 

 every thing that he says, respecting the above-mentioned di- 

 stinctions, I cannot perceive that they afford any sufficient rea- 

 son for considering the plants as distinct species : but he has a 

 remark, which, were it accurate, might afford room for a real 

 distinction, which will appear evident, if we compare what I 

 have already quoted from Rumphius, concerning the leaves of 

 the Lagondium vidgare, with what follows concerning those of 

 the L. litoreum. " Folia plerumque quinque simul locata sunt, 

 — quorum bina inferiora tempore decidunt, unde in ramis flori- 

 feris et frugiferis ternata tantum semper sunt, in surculis vero 

 semper quina sunt." Now in the Lagondium vulgare, "folia 

 semper sunt simplicia vel ternata." 



Linnaeus however, in his first edition of the Species Plantarum, 

 followed by the younger Burman {Fl. Ind. 137. 138.), rejects 

 altogether this distinction of Rumphius ; and, although he adds 

 the Lagondium vulgare as synonymous with the Cara Nosi, which 

 he calls Vitex trifolia, and the Lagondium litoreum as synony- 

 mous with the Bern Nosi, which he calls Vitex Negundo, he attri- 

 butes to both " folia ternata quinataque," and returns to the 

 old distinction of " foliola integerrima and f. serrata," which I 

 know to be totally futile, as leaves of both descriptions may 

 usually be observed on the same individual plant. He adds 

 however another distinguishing mark, namely that the Vitex tri- 

 folia has panicida dichotoma, and the Vitex Negundo jiores race- 

 moso-panicidati. I do not think, however, that either term is 

 strictly applicable to the plant, which I have seen, although as 

 corrected by Mr. R. Brown {Nov. Hoi. i. 512.) " paniculae ra- 

 chis stricta, rami subdichotomi," the term is applicable to the 

 Vitex common about the hedges of India. Burman adds, as a 

 variety to the Vitex trifolia, the Vitex trifolia foribus per ramos 



sparsis 



