on the Hortus Malabaiicus, Part IF. '241 



Calyx fructiferus maxiums, inflatus, cordatiis, acutangulus, ore clauso depres- 

 sus. Bacca magnitudine Pisi subrotunda, glabra. 



The kind which I found used by physicians is the same with what Dr. Rox- 

 burgh cultivated in the Botanical Garden as the PhysaUs Jiexuosa, altliongh 

 its branches are straight. It differs from the above description in the form of 

 the calyx when the fruit is ripe, which in place of being depressed is shaped 

 like an egg. 



The plant of Ceylon, it must be observed, is described by Linnaeus with a 

 flexuose stem, and by Burman with red flowers, and is tlierefore probably dif- 

 ferent. 



NoELi seu NuLi Tali, p. 115. tab. 56. 



The generic name Tali is applied by the Hindus to several plants. With the 

 addition of Tiru prefixed it is given to some species of Convolvulus {Hart. Mai. 

 xi. 109. 111.); but in this sense the compound Tirutali forms the generic name, 

 and the different kinds are distinguished by additional specific appellations. 

 In the South of India I found Tali used as the generic name for the Bomhax 

 Gossypum, which has no sort of affinity with the Nuli Tali. Even the Nela 

 Tali of Rheede {Hort. Mai. ix. 31.), so like in name to the Noeli Tali, has no 

 sort of affinity to this plant, for it is the JEschynomene indica : nor are the 

 IVatta Tali of Rheede {Hort. MqlI. v. 63.) nor Pi Tali of the Bengalese any 

 more allied to the Noela Tali, both probably being species of Rottleria. 



Commeline bad no doubt of the Noeli Tali being a Berheris, not less dif- 

 ferent from it than almost any of the above-mentioned plants. Plukenet, 

 iiowever, adopted the same arrangement, calling it Berberis Indica Aurantice 

 folio {Aim. 67.) ; but the elder Burman, justly considering that the flowers of 

 the Noeli Tali had no sort of resemblance to those of the Berberis, consti- 

 tuted a new genus for it, and called it Antidesma, adding the specific character 

 "spicis geminis" {Thes. Zeyl. 22. t. 10.). Among the synonyma he added a 

 plant of Jamaica, \vhich probably may be safely rejected ; nor am I entirely 

 satisfied that his plant is the same with that of Rheede, for the figures differ a 

 good deal in tlie form of leaf, and considerable reliance may be placed on the 

 accuracy of both; besides, the specific ciiaracter "spicis geminis" used by 

 Burman is neither justified by the description nor figure in Rheede. 



