636 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1734, 



well as some others, because, says he, they are little valued. Probably he never 

 saw it, but on inquiry took upon credit what some person or other told him, 

 who knew nothing of it besides the name, and confounded it with others which 

 are little esteemed. 



There are few grains to be met with in this fruit that are good for planting 

 for most of them are but abortive. 



Sometimes this fruit is found spoiled within, which may be known by yellow 

 spots appearing on some of the segments. Some people scruple then to eat 

 them ; but others make no difficulty about it. It is certain however, that they 

 are not so good, especially if the spots are considerable. I observed that this 

 corruption proceeded from the juice in the capsula, which being spoiled by the 

 sting of some insect, and thereby becoming yellow, and spreading over the 

 segments of the fruit, infected them with that colour, and so changed them. 

 This wound is so small, and so hard to be discovered, that one often is left in 

 a doubt whether there be any at all. 



One may eat a great deal of this fruit without any inconvenience ; and it is 

 the only one which sick people may be allowed to eat without any scruple. It 

 is very wholesome, refreshing, and more cordial than the strawberry. 



Its shell has the same virtue as that of the pomegranate ; at Batavia they 

 make an infusion and a tincture of it, against loosenesses, and chiefly against 

 dysenteries. The wood is good for nothing but firing. 



In the Memoires de Mathematique et de Physique de 1' Academic Royale des 

 Sciences de Paris, of the year l6g2, there is a short description of the mango- 

 stans by Father Beze, which is pretty good ; but as lie took the calix for the 

 flower, it is plain he observed it not till after the petala were fallen off. His 

 description is too short and defective, for determining from thence alone the 

 true characters of this genus. 



Explanation of the Figures. — Fig. 1, pi. 1 6, the flower, as it appears in the 

 inside and outside : a the four petala of the flower ; b the four lobes of the 

 calix ; c the tube ; d the pedicle. 



Fig. 2, the calix, as it appears in the inside with the pistil and the stamina : 

 e the end of the pedicle of the flower, which supports the calix. 



Fig. 3, a petal, as it appears on the back, separated from the flower: f its 

 basis, which is the thickest, the firmest and the most brittle part; g four stamina 

 belonging to the petal, arising from the basis of it, and of the pistil. 



Fig. 4, the entire fruit, seen from the side of the calix or the pedicle: h the 

 calix ; i the pedicle ; k a part of its tube. 



Fig. 5, the same, seen from the side of the tube, which is cut out in the shape 

 of a small rose : 1 the tube, which always sticks fast to the fruit ; m the pedicle, 

 and part of the calix. 



