on the Hortus Malabaricus, Part II. 307 



racter (foUolis decern parlum) ; for, as I have said, it is very un- 

 common to find a specimen of the latter that has near this num- 

 ber of leaflets. Linnaeus indeed omits the plant of Hermann 

 siliquis hirsutis, quoting only the plant of this author mentioned 

 by Plukenet ; nor is it easy to say whether he meant to describe 

 the plant of Burman or that of Rheede, if they be really diffe- 

 rent, as I suspect. It is to be observed, however, that he does 

 not quote the Ceylonese name Mahatora, given to this plant by 

 Burman, which would appear not to have been in the collection 

 submitted to his inspection : and this, joined to his not quoting 

 the plant of Hermann siliquis hirsutis, both probably belonging 

 to the Senna vigintifolia, may induce us to believe that then Lin- 

 naeus meant the Ponnam Tagera. He did not at first quote 

 Rumphius. 



Although, as I have said, the Ponnam Tagera is not the original 

 Sophera, an African plant ; yet Linnaeus, on bestowing specific 

 names, called it Cassia Sophera, by which name it -is now always 

 known. The younger Burman {Ft. Ind. 97.) added to the syno- 

 nyma the Gallinaria acutifolia of Rumphius, and the Galegce 

 affinis of C. Bauhin, both of which no doubt belong to the Pon- 

 nam Tagera ; but he also added the Sopherce congener planfa, 

 siliquis compressis hirsutis, seminibus atris lucidis, floribus aureis of 

 Hermann. This throws every thing again into the confusion 

 introduced by the elder Burman. The younger Burman indeed 

 probably really meant his father's plant legumine hirsuto ; for I 

 am convinced that the plant of Java which he confounded {Fl. 

 Ind. 96.) with the Cassia Occident nlis was merely a specimen of 

 the Ponnnm Tagera with only four or five pair of leaflets, a very 

 usual number. In Ava I was deceived by a similar specimen, 

 which J sent home under the same name, and which is now pro- 

 bably in the collection of Sir J. Banks. 



Willdenow indeed omits both the synonyma of Hermann, 

 VOL. XIV. 2 s conscious, 



