another, and so form a great ball or intricate bush. A span above 
their insertion they are geniculate. Below that the leaf is narrow 
and convolute, resembling a stalk; up to that point they were 
originally firmly adpressed against their stem. Above the knee 
the leaf is flat and reflexed though the middle nerve is fairly 
stiff. Crushed between the hands the leaves emit a strong 
aromatic odour, and chewed they taste similarly, with a noticeable 
acridity, but without causing any burning sensation in the throat. 
" The bases of those leaves form a stout and ventricose stipes or 
stem, closely clasping each other. ivseml>ling skins, whitish in colour 
and inoiv aromatic than the leaves themselves, smelling somewhat 
like dried roses ; and that is considered the best part of the plant. 
"Although those leaves thus clasp each other and form a 
roundish or sometimes flattened stem, there is nevertheless 
Inside them nothing thai could be compared with a reed or 
rush. ... I also observed that the odour of the Arabian 
I'latu approaches distinctly that of roses; whilst in the Amboina 
grass u is mixed with that of fennel. The root resembles that of 
Acorns, hill is much shorter, thinner and more woody, divided 
mt.. diMinct annular joints and sparingly branched. The branches 
generally rise obliquely out of the ground, attached to it by hard 
and thin rootlets, and bearing at their ends 2, 3 or 4 of the 
ventricose stalks mentioned above. The remainder of the root 
does not penetrate much into the soil, in which it is fixed by 
means of numerous woody fibres. . . . Its aromatic odour 
ana taste is more intense than in the (remainder of the) plant; 
IJ!: T 1 ' . hot » not burning, with a pleasant bitterness, and the 
rose odour is more distinct in the dry state. ... 
" In Amb i na? the Siree is usually kept barren so that one does 
t: " Wt ' r ">' trnir. S-ili ii has happen..!, though rarely, 
that flowers have been observed on certain specimens, and they 
Onions. The genuine flowers are 
nothing but a panicle, as in Tuhu Sala, and in Kulong. 
„,"I he 7 h ° le Pani f le inclin es always to one side, is a span long 
Lit?lpt a \°rf r ' a ? d com P osed <>f long tops or oblong headlets 
brown lb I" °lV£ ich are em PtJ and have short yellowish- 
uXs f w ' T? 1Ch ' h ° Wever ' d0 not P rod ^e any distinct seed 
"ermTnal Tt he n miler Chaff ? Points which, however, do not 
be Teen in ^ ese * ower f may frequently, or rather commonly, 
where thev fn™ ?** P f * S in Ternate ' M 
leaves almL fi? f ^ bUShes than in Amboina, and produce 
stem irroS? nn? ? Ue \l° ng ' He **e a slender, straight and firm 
paniclf r 8c 4ed a"" ""^ beBrin » a feW leaVeS and ** 
Z^ISH V ~ ttSfr Sat were 
soil some sham VTi-ff ona ( wh ere under a rich brown 
