on the Hortus Malabaricus, Part II. 239 



* 



being the same with the Ericu. At any rate the Ericu and Bel 

 Ericu, with which I am perfectly acquainted, are mere varieties, 

 differing only in the colour of the flower, as Rheede justly ob- 

 serves ; and the white colour, in general at least, seems to be the 

 effect of cultivation, as I have seen such only in gardens, where 

 it is reared as being supposed to have greater virtues ; and it is 

 on this account probably that the Brahmans of Malabar prefix 

 Davi (divine) to its name. 



Plukenet considered the Egyptian, Syrian and Indian plants 

 different (Aim. 35.) ; calling the first Apocynum erectum majus 

 latifoUum agyptiacumjlore luteo spicatum {Aim. 34.) ; the second 

 Apocynum latifoUum syriacum, incanum, erectum florihus umbella- 

 tis minoribus, obsolete purpurascentibus, siliquis foUiculatis rugosis ; 

 and the third Apocynum erectum majus latifoUum indicum, flore 

 concavo amplo, cameo suave purpurascente. So far is well ; but in 

 his synonyma there is great confusion. For the Indian species he 

 quotes the Ericu, which is proper ; but joins with it the Apocynum 

 latifoUum JEgyptium incanum erectum for ibus magnis pallide pur- 

 pureis of the Far. Bat. Prod., which may perhaps be the Syrian 

 kind or Beid el Ossar of Veslingius, but cannot be the Egyptian 

 kind, called Beid el Ossar by Alpinus, which has yellow flowers. 

 For the Syrian kind, again, he rightly quotes the Beid el Ossar 

 of Veslingius with purplish flowers above mentioned ; but then 

 he adds the Bel Ericu, which certainly is a mere variety of the 

 Ericu with white flowers. He also follows Commeline in adding 

 to this an American plant, as I have said, probably different 

 from both. Further, for his Indian kind he quotes a figure in 

 the Phytograpfiia {t. 175. /. 3.), which certainly does not repre- 

 sent the Ericu ; although in the explanation of the plate he says 

 that it is meant to do so ; but then he adds, that it also repre- 

 sents the Beid el Ossar of Egypt, the Apocynum syriacum of 

 J.Bauhin, and the Lapathum agyptiaciim lactescens siliqua Ascle- 



piades 



