200 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentary 



he admits to be the same with the Sebestena domestica seu Myxa of Comme- 

 liue. Their identity, however, I think very doubtful ; for the nut in the figure 

 given by Lamarck and Gsertner {De Sem. i. t. 7^.), and probably belonging to 

 the Egyptian plant, has only two acute angles, wliile that of the f^idi Maram 

 is quadrangular. It must be further remarked, that Commeline in his note 

 states that the Vid'i 3Iaram had not been described by any author, nor does 

 he venture to class it further than by calling it an Arbor primif era ; while the 

 Sebestena domestica had been described by many authors, unless we suppose 

 the plant so called by Commeline to be different from that described by the 

 Bauhins. 



M. Poiret {Enc. 3I^th. vii. 40.), while he admits the difficulty of ascertaining 

 what plant Linnaeus meant by his Cordia Myxa, retains the specific character 

 given by Willdenow, and enumerates three varieties. Tlie first is the plant 

 of Egypt, at least as described by J. Bauhin and Forskhal, for he quotes 

 C. Baiihin with doubt. The second variety is the Vidi Maram of India, the 

 Cordia officinalis of Lamarck, and the Sebestena domestica of Commeline ; but, 

 as I have said, the plant figured by Lamarck seems different from the P'idi 

 Maram, ; nor do I know any ground for supposing the Sebestena domestica of 

 Commeline to be different from that of C. Bauhin. M. Poiret's third variety 

 is the Cordia obliqua of Willdenow {Sp. PL i. 1072.). 



I am by no means satisfied that I have ever seen the plant described by 

 Rheede ; and I must say, that the form, the pubescence, and the margins of 

 the leaves of the plants, which in various parts of Gangetic India are called 

 Latora, Lisaura, Bahityari, Baboyar, and Dhovoli, vary so much, even on the 

 same tree, that no reliance can be placed on characters drawn from thence. 

 The leaves of these are sometimes rounded, at others sharp-pointed ; some- 

 times smooth, and at others hairy ; sometimes quite entire, at others slightly 

 indented. All, however, agree in having three principal nerves meeting a 

 little above the base, and in generally having terminal corymbi ; and all, 

 therefore, in certain states, agree tolerably with the figure in Plukenet {Phyt. 

 /. 217. /• 3.), and with the Fidi Maram; but then the flowers of the latter 

 have six divisions, and the plants of Gangetic India have five only. Figure 3. 

 of Plukenet has also six stamina, and is no doubt the Fidi Maram, as he 

 alleges ; but the flower of figure 2., representing the Egyptian Sebestena, seems 



