from the Malayalam language in South India. As in the 
case of the betel palm, the betel vine has distinct names 
in the various Indian languages. The betel vine, or pan 
as it is sometimes called, is considered to be, probably, 
anative of Java. Some even consider it to be indigenous 
to South India, Ceylon and Malaya. Marco Polo, in his 
travels, had seen betel leaves in Madras. Ibn Batula has 
described both the betel nut and betel leaves; of the lat- 
ter he writes: ‘‘a plant that grows like a grape vine. It 
is trained over a trellis of canes like a vine or plants near 
the coconut palm, where it clambers up like a vine or 
pepper. It does not bear fruit; but it is the leaves which 
are used and they are like those of the Bramble.’’ It is 
extensively cultivated in India, Ceylon and Malaya. 
Marco Polo mentions this leaf: ‘‘that people of India 
have a habit of keeping in the mouth acertain leaf called 
Tembul.’’ (The Sanskrit name is T'ambul; the Kannada 
name J'ambula.) And he further comments: ‘‘that the 
rich people and the King have these leaves prepared with 
camphor and other aromatic spices, and quicklime.”’ 
Many other European travellers and others have noted 
the use of betel leaf. Garcia da Orta has discussed the 
use of pan in detail. ‘‘That Indians are in the habit of 
keeping the nail of the right thumb pointed and sharp, 
in order to remove the mid-rib of the leaf.’” The leaves 
are used in the green and tender state. 
The betel vine, a pepper, is an evergreen perennial, 
twining on living supports—areca palms, species of /ry- 
thrina, Sesbania, etc. It has a heart-shaped, simple, ex- 
stipulate leaf, light green to deep green in colour, with 
five to seven dorsally well marked veins. 
Among the horticultural and agricultural plants which 
need human care, the most cared for and the one which 
is given the most delicate attention, is this vine. No 
other plant seems to have so much tender and considerate 
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