252 Dr. Ma ton's additional Rcmarlis 



however, I ought to mention, that Commelin was guilty of the 

 same error before him, referring to Bontius's Cardainomum mi7iits 

 as beino; tlie same as Van Rheede's, in his Horti Malabarici Cata- 

 log II X, p. 18. 



From the mistake made by Burmann appear to have originated 

 the erroneous description and discordant references given, on 

 the subject of the Cardamom, in the works of Linnajus, and 

 which have partly descended to some of his editors. If, in 

 writing his Flora Zcylnnica, Linnaeus had found a specimen of 

 the Ensal in Hermann's herbarium, or if he had consulted the 

 figures of Van Rheede, the errors, which commenced with that 

 Flora, could not, I think, have existed. That there was not a 

 specimen of the Ensal in the herbarium of Hermann, I have ac- 

 tually ascertained, having examined that collection on purpose ; 

 and that Linnaeus had not an opportunity of verifying Bur- 

 mann's references, by consulting the Hortus Malabaricus at the 

 same time with the other works quoted by that author, is ren- 

 dered highly probable, on account of his not having been pos- 

 sessed of the work, for which he was obliged to send to the 

 Academy of Sciences at Stockholm (as I am informed by Mr. 

 Dryander) whenever the use of it was indispensable to him. 

 Neither had he any specimen of the true Cardamom in his own 

 herbarium, that which he seems to have considered as such 

 having a compact spike, though it is labelled as being " from Su- 

 rat," whence he could not have received it until some time after 

 the publication of his Flora Zeylanica, and Materia Medica ; for 

 he had no correspondent (I imagine) in that part of India, prior 

 to his pupil Toren's voyage, in 1750. Toren mentions having 

 been at Surat; but it is wonderful enough that he does not enter 

 upon any description of so remarkable a plant as the Cardamom, 

 which he probably would have done, had he seen it growing ; 



and 



