216 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentary 



scahris (Fl. Zeyl. \7'2.). In this further, Linnaeus remarks, "calyces in race- 

 mes collecti, nee caulem terminantes ut in M. foliis quinquenerviis." The 

 synonyma must be, therefore, almost totally changed, only it remains uncertain 

 whether the H'ln Bothya of the Ceylonese belongs to the Kadali or Katou 

 Kadali, Linnaeus giving it to the plant with three nerves, while Burman gives 

 it to one with five. This can only be determined by an inspection of Herman's 

 collection. In the mean time, we may consider as synonymous the following 

 plants : 



Kadali. Hort. Malab. iv. t. 42. 



Melastoma scabra trinervia. Burm. Thes. Zeyl. 154. t. 72. 



Melastoma foliis lanceolatis trinerviis scabris. Linn. Fl. Zeyl. 172. 



Rumphius evidently described the Kadali, as he himself remarks, under the 

 name of Fragrarius niger {Herb. Amb. iv. 137. t. 72.), which we may safely add 

 to the synonyma ; for in its leaves it has only three nerves. 



In the Flora Indica of the younger Burman (104, 105.) most of the errors of 

 the Flora Zeylanica are followed, while the Kadali and Fragrarius niger are 

 quoted for the Melastoma Malab athrica, which is the M. foliis quinquenerviis of 

 the Flora Zeylanica ; and, still further, the same Kadali, joined with the Fra- 

 grarius ruber of Rumphius, which is probably not of the same genus or order, 

 is also quoted for the 31. aspera, the same with the M. foliis lanceolatis tri- 

 nerviis scabris of the Flora Zeylaiiica. This latter opinion entirely coincides 

 with mine ; and, if copied from the Species Plantarum of Linnaeus, removes 

 his authority for making the Kadali the M. Malabathrica, and we may quote 

 among the synonyma of the Kadali the M. aspera {Burm. Fl. Ind. 105.). 



Willdenow still, however, persisted in quoting the Kadali and Fragrarius 

 niger for the M. Malabathrica, although the only real authority for this plant 

 is the elder Burman {Thes. Zeyl. t. 73.). 



The M. aspera of M. La Desrousseaux {Enc. Mdtli. iv. 37.) is quite a dif- 

 ferent plant from that of Linnaeus and Burman, being a native of Madagascar; 

 and under the M. Malabathrica (36.) he quotes both the Kadali with three 

 nerves and the Katou Kadali with five nerves ; the latter, indeed, he quotes 

 with doubt ; yet his plant, according to his description, has five nerves, and 

 what he says is perfectly applicable to the M. Malabathrica in everything 



