071 the Hortus Malabaricus, Part IV. 215 



The elder Burman, although accurate respecting the genus, referred the 

 Kadali to an improper species, quoting it for his Melastoma quinquenervia 

 hb'tu major, capitulis sericels vUlosts [Tlies. Zeyl. 155. t.^Z.) ; for Rheede says 

 of his Kadali, "e pediculo ad apicem folii tres nervi crassiores transeunt:" 

 and of the Katou Kadali he says, " folia Kadali foliis similia, at — per folii 

 longitudinem non tres sed quinque nervi crassiores transeunt." Burman ought 

 therefore to have quoted the Kadali for his Melastoma scabra trinervia {llies. 

 Zeyl. 154. t.7-2.). 



Linnaeus in the Flora Zeylanica (171 ■) not only adopted this error of Bur- 

 man, and quoted the Kadali with three nerves for his Melastoma foliis lanceo- 

 lato-ovatis scabris quinquenerviis, but he also referred the Katou Kadali with 

 five nerves to his 3Ielastoma foliis lanceolatis trinerviis scabris (Fl. Zeyl. 76.). 

 In fact, Linnaeus in the Flora Zeylanica describes three species of Melastoma, 

 as does also Burman ; but as two of the former have three nerves, while two 

 of the latter have five, if we can depend on this character, Linnaeus must have 

 been mistaken i!i considering his three plants the same with those of Burman ; 

 and it remains to be ascertained which of the two plants with three nerves 

 described by Linnaeus is that of Burman, and also which of the plants with 

 five nerves described by Burman is that of Linnaeus. As the Kadali has only 

 three nerves, it is only with these that we have here to do ; and, as I have 

 observed, it cannot be either the plant of Burman or Linnaeus to which these 

 authors have referred it, because both have five nerves. An observation of Bur- 

 man may serve to explain which of the plants with three nerves most resem- 

 bles it. He says, (Thes. Zeyl. 156.,) " descriptio in Hort. Malab. accuratior 

 est, et plantae nostrae magis convenit, quam figura ibi expressa, quae glaberrima 

 ibi depicta est, quum tota sit scabra et hirsuta, quod vitium saepius in Hort. 

 Malab. observavi." Now Rheede says, " Ramuli — lanuginosi et asperi — folia 

 — aspera, exiguis spinulls horrida." This description, upon which, as Burman 

 says, we must rely, is applicable enough to the Melastoma scabra trinervia of 

 Burman (Thes. Zeyl. 154. t. 72.), which, besides, has the flowers disposed in 

 racemi like the Kadali, and of a similar size. Linnaeus refers this plant o'l 

 Burman to his 3Ielastoma foliis lanceolatis trinej'viis glabris : margine hispidis ; 

 but from the circumstances above mentioned, this would seem to be a mistake, 

 and he should have quoted it for his Melastoma foliis lanceolatis trinerviis 



