on the Hortus Malaharicus, Part II. 235 



further, both the varieties of the Indian plant are often found in 

 a double or triple form, and are therefore equally entitled to the 

 appellation fastuosa . 



What AVilldenow says concerning the Datura Metel, after 

 having the advantage of the second edition of the Species Plan- 

 tarum, and of several accounts by excellent botanists, is liable 

 to great objections, so far as relates to the Hummatu. He di- 

 stinguishes it as pericarpiis spinosis, foliis cordatis subintegris, 

 and adds, calyx non angulatus sed teres : but the figure of the 

 Hummatu has not cordate leaves, and the angles on its leaves 

 are fully more prominent and sharper than those of the Dutra 

 rubra (Herb. Amb. v. 243. t. 87. /. 2.), which Willdenow quotes 

 for the D. fastuosa : and further, the calyx of the Hummatu is 

 most evidently angular. The description entirely agrees with 

 the figure. " Folia in oris in cuspides seu angulos sinuata. 

 Calyx quinque costis, quae in foliorum (laciniarum) cuspides in- 

 currunt, in longitudine striatus." It must be further observed, 

 that there is no indication whatever, either in the figure or de- 

 scription, of the Hummatu being pubescent ; but I must confess, 

 that no great stress can be laid on this point, because on the sub- 

 ject of pubescence Rheede is often negligent. The only other 

 circumstance, by which Linnaeus endeavours to distinguish the 

 Datura fastuosa from the Metel, is, that the former h-d?, pericarpia 

 tuberculata and the latter pericarpia spinosa : but, if the Dutra 

 rubra of Rumphius be the D. fastuosa, as Linnaeus admits, its 

 pericarpium is fully as much entitled to the appellation spinosum, 

 as that of the Dutra alba ; and he is equally silent respecting the 

 pubescence of his plant. 



M. Poiret (£«c. Meth. vii. 46l, 462.) gives the synonyma of 

 the Egyptian and Indian species at greater length than Willde- 

 now, and I have great deference for his opinion and confidence 

 in his accuracy ; yet I can discover nothing in his account to 



VOL. XIV. 2 I remove 



