260 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentanj 



capsula ovata. It is true, that the Burmas assured me that they 

 often eat the leaves as a vegetable ; while Rumphius says " in tota 

 planta, ac potissimum in ejus foliis vehemens detegitur fervor, 

 ipsum superans Piper." Little reliance is however to be placed 

 on the assertions of the Burmas who accompanied me, they being 

 mostly boatmen, and persons who would be diverted by deceiv- 

 ing a stranger in such particulars, as I know by sad experience, 

 having been almost choked in attempting to eat an Arum, which 

 they pretended to be remarkably good. We cannot either rely 

 much on the figure of Rumphius, as his blindness prevented him 

 from detecting errors in his draughtsmen. What he says in the 

 description respecting the fruit is entirely applicable to my 

 plant. 



CoDi AvANACU or Cadi Avanacu, p. 63. t. 34. 



In 1814 this plant had been lately sent by Mr, Ker to the 

 Botanical Garden at Calcutta from China ; so that Dr. Rox- 

 burgh may not have seen it there ; nor is it included in the Ca- 

 talogue of Plants growing there, published by Dr. Carey. But 

 there I found it thriving, and have given specimens to the Col- 

 lection of the East India Company. The name Cadi on the 

 figure is no doubt a typographical error, as is clear from the 

 Arabic characters ; yet it is now generally quoted. 



Commeline admits that this plant has been erroneously classed 

 with the Ricinus ; but mentions its affinity with the Lathyris of 

 C. Bauhin, one of the genera united by Linnaeus with Euphorbia. 

 Plukenet, however, admits of a resemblance to both, and calls it 

 Ricinus malabaricus fruticescens, Lathyridis facie, fructu in folio- 

 rum alis echinato {Aim. 321.). The affinity to the Euphorbia is 

 so strong, as to have induced Hermann to call ii. Tithymalus te- 

 nellus Indicus foliis Linarice raris, the Tithymalus being another 

 of the genera united by Linnaeus with Euphorbia. 



. . The 



