FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 



Geoffroya superlia, Humb, ct Bonp., of the Amazons. 



Glycine subterranea, Voandzou of Madagascar. 



Hymencea Courbaril, Leathery-leaved Locust Tree of America. 



Inga dulcis, Sweet Inga of East Indies. 



Lathyrus tuberosus of Holland. 



N. O. 75. MORINGACE^E. MORINGADS. 



Moringa pterygosperma. Gcert. Smooth Horse Radish Tree. 



The root, used as a garnish ; and the leaf, flower, and pod as 

 vegetables. 



Vernacular. SigroOj Sobhanjun, Sans, and Beng. Shajina, Beng. 

 Moongay, Sujna, Hind. Sainga, Saigut^ By. Mooringay, Mai. 

 Nugga, Can. Moorunga, Tarn. Moorungay, Moonaga, Tel. 

 Merikoolu y Ganmurunga, Cey. 



Habitat. The two Indies, Africa. 



Remarks. The seed of this plant are the Ben-nuts of old writers, and 

 the Hub-ool-ban it is said of the Arabs ; and, according to Lindley, the 

 Ben-oil of watchmakers and jewellers is obtained from them. Moringa 

 aptera, however, is the Arabian and African species, and within the writer's 

 observation no oil is obtained from Saigut seeds in the Bombay Presidency. 

 The " Myrobalanum" or "unguent acorn" of Pliny, and the ftdXavos of 

 Theophrastus and the Greeks are referred to the M. pterygosperma. 

 I would take the liberty to suggest, however, that the seeds of M. aptera 

 are truly meant by Pliny and other classical writers. Pliny mentions 

 "Balanus" wood as inferior to that of the Persea t but "very durable." 

 The wood of the Saigut is worthless. DeCandolle doubt* the distinctness 

 of the two species of Moringa under comment ; and it may be that the 

 Indian Moringa, although it has not the hard wood and oil-seed of the 

 Arabian, African, and West Indian plants, is yet specifically identical with 

 them. M. aptera is the Tessur of the Arabs, the long pod of which they 

 call Hab-ghdlee. The seeds of neither plant have any connection with 

 modern Myrobalans, which see below N. O. 81. The root is an efficient 

 substitute for Horse Radish. See also " Fruits and Vegetables/' nnd 

 " Gums and Resins." 



N. O. 76. ROSACES. ROSEWORTS. 

 Amygdalus Persica. W. Common Peach. 



Linn. Syst. Icosandria Monogynia. 



Vernacular. Tnffah-parsee, Khowkh, Ferfik, Arab. Kalloo> Kardee, 

 Aroo 9 Pers. 



Habitat. Persia. Well-established in all first-class gardens in the 

 Deccan, 

 149 



