26 Dr - Falconer's Description of Aucklandia, 



<•», has long been a disputed point among botanical writers. Linnaeus, upon 

 no good grounds, conjectured it to be produced by the CosHu Arabic**, which 

 opinion appears to have been first disproved by Jacquin. Sprengel 'in his 

 Commentaries on Dioscorides,* states that the Arabian Costm was not so 

 designated from growing in Arabia, but because it was imported from India 

 into that country. He does not, however, hazard a conjecture about the 

 plant which produces it. Professor Royle, in his < Illustrations,'* gives the 

 history of the Costus as found in the works of the Persian Hukeems, and cor- 

 rectly mfers, that the >> Putchuk" of the Calcutta bazars is the same as the 

 Arab.an Costus. H e throws out a hint that the root might be the produce of 

 n umbe hterous plant. Ainslie, in bis < Materia Indica- gives Putchuck as 



D LZ STE Sfm Ambkm - ^ — "* "-W nature of a 



pnvate sc.eat.nc hbrary at a remote station in India, prevents me from enter- 

 ing further upon the historical part of this subject 



^^7^fT B T n by Dioscoric,es * is thus : ~" Arabi - ^us is 



the best ,t s of a white colour, and light, and emits a very grateful and sweet 

 odour. Indian Costm holds the second r-.„t v t u ■ , g tetUl and sweet 

 («i ->< 4, rf,^. The third S or tis h; " f *** ^ '*" Fe ' U ' a 

 Hke box-wood, andLitting tl I: 8 ' ?' ^ " ^ '" ^ 

 is fresh, light-co.oured, compact it 7 ^ Guhu >* that which 

 -oid of an acrid smell, ^Z^l^^l 

 properties are then detailed. g ' Tne medlcln al 



The Persian Hukeems have evident^ ft. a j l . 

 "Pen that of Dioscoride, tL best ^ t. n fr f* aCC °" nt ° f the **" 

 -en||, which is th„ S: -<< K8ost u !, t0bef0Und ln t^Toftch-ooLmoomi- 



that of the M„ H " a TOOt resembli «g '" appearance 



mat ot the Mandragora (Loofah i«n j 



*—. Thep.antVh 1 C W) ' and ~^« the borders of Hin- 



leaves. There are three Jl » 1S fi humifuse a ™» ■ten.Iess, and has broad 



«^orts. the first, called Arabian or Oceans., 



iM 6 SLeiP2iSeditiOn ' 1830 ''-"-P.35 3 . 



§ SPrenge1 ' 3 editi ™' """• i- P. 29. (fib. i. cap „ , * «* «• P- 164. 



I MS., article LJ'. 



