242 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentary 



Linnaeus in the Flora Zeylatuca (357.), if I understand him rightly, was 

 sensible of this difference, but unable to point out the characters by which the 

 two plants could be distinguished. He therefore, under the head Antldesma, 

 gives two sets of synonyina separated by a line. In this, perhaps, he intended 

 to refer the synonyma to the male and female plants, according as each author 

 represented one or other. This, however, is not certain ; and I rather am 

 inclined, as I have said, to attribute the separation to his having been aware 

 of a specific difference or variety. In the first set of synonyma is placed the 

 Antldesma of Burman, and in the second the Noeli Tali. The synonyma of 

 this are not unexceptionable, nor free from typographical errors, which may 

 mislead. First, the Noeli Tali is said to be in Hort. Mai. p. 19. in place of 

 p. 1 15. Secondly, for the "Arbor Indica, ovali folio, flosculis plurimis in spicis 

 summo ramulo dispositis acini/era" of Plukenet's Mantissa, we are referred to 

 t. 329. in place of 339. This figure, although it evidently represents an Antl- 

 desma, refers, in my opinion, to a species different from the Noeli Tali, and 

 seems to me to represent the Mathasura of the Hindwi dialect, which I take to 

 be the Antidesma puhescens, |S. of Willdenow, if that be different from the Antl- 

 desma paniciilata. Thirdly, Linnaeus quotes among the synonyma of the Noeli 

 Tali the '■' Planta folia hahens ohlon go-rotunda" of the elder Burman (T/tej. 

 Zeyl. 194.) and Herman, which the former says is the Keratya of the Ceylonese; 

 and from the term " folia oblongo-rotunda," I rather suspect that this belongs 

 to the Mathasura rather than to the Noeli Tali ; and I do so the more espe- 

 cially, because Linnaeus alleges that the JEmbilla of the Ceylonese (Herm. 

 Zeyl. 19. 26.) is the same with the Noeli Tali ; but the JEmlilla of Herman is 

 only quoted by Burman among the synonyma of " Grossularia spinis vidua, 

 baccis in race/no congestis, spadiceis, foliis crenatis, ovato-acuminatis" {Thes. 

 Zeyl. 112. t. 48.), which has no resemblance to an Antidesma; nor does he 

 mention which of Herman's i^mbillas it is, although, from its having many 

 stamina, it is, no doubt, the Rhamnicastrum of Linnaeus {Fl. Zeyl. 410.), for 

 which the latter, as well as for the Antidesma, quotes the u^mbilla 19. of 

 Herman. We must therefore confine the Noeli Tali to the [^mbilla 26. of 

 Herman, if Linnaeus is right in quoting this, which I do not know. If he is 

 right, then the Noeli Tali being the ^mbilla 26., and the Antidesma of Bur- 

 man being the Keratya of the Ceylonese, the plants must be different. The 



