VOL. L.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 315 



the flower, or part of it, at the top of the style or rudiment of the fruit : and in 

 that of Malabar he has drawn the flower growing in the umbel. But his draw 

 ing of the cinhamon of Ceylon agrees with no one specimen in the British Mu- 

 seum ; and scarcely is one leaf to be found of the shape which he gives. 



The first figure, which Mr. W. produces, is a drawing, which he procured 

 from Mr. Ehret in the year 1754: which was from a specimen given to Mr. 

 Ehret by Mr. Empson in that year, of the cinnamon of Ceylon. See fig. 1, pi. 

 12. This agrees in every thing with the drawing of the cinnamon of Malabar 

 in the Hort. Malab. fig. 54, fol. 107, and there called carua; except that it 

 wants the fruit: but that defect is supplied by Mr. Ray's description of the cin- 

 namon of Ceylon above mentioned. See fig. of the fruit, fig. 2. 



In the figure in the Hort. Malabar, it may be observed, that the nerves do not 

 go quite to the bottom of the leaf. But this is merely accidental, as will appear 

 by the leaves of the same plant brought from Sumatra ; in which, part of the 

 leaves have veins going quite to the bottom, and united there, and the others 

 not so. See fig. 3. 



The next drawing Mr. W. produces, contains that of the leaves of the cin- 

 namon plant, from specimens in the British Museum : 



Fig 4, A specimen, with the flower, from the collection of Mr. Courteen, who lived long in 

 Ceylon. These leaves were more pointed, but were broken at the end. — Fig. 5, A whole leaf, 

 with its point, in the same collection, growing on a branch, on which are the rudiments of the fruit. 

 — Fig. 6, A leaf in Plukenet's specimens. — Fig. 7, Another leaf of the same collection, and of the 

 same plant. — Fig. 8, A leaf of a large specimen from Boerhaave's collection. —Fig 9, Another leaf 

 on the same branch. — Fig. 10, A specimen from Petiver's collection. The ponits of the leaves are 

 broken off. — Fig. 11^ The flower of the first specimen. — Fig. 12, In the rudiment of the seed before 

 formed in the state given in Burman's first drawing. 



From all these specimens it plainly appears, that the distinction of foliis ovatis 

 et lanceolatis does not appear well founded. But were it otherwise, and that 

 the leaves of the plants differed, it would by no means be a proof of any material 

 difference in the nature or quality of the plants ; as is well known to persons con- 

 versant in natural history. 



Having now given an account of the figure of these plants, and in what re- 

 spect they are said herein to differ, Mr. W. proceeds to consider the pretended 

 differences in the canella itself; which are supposed not to be in form only, but 

 substantial and material; and are generally understood to be so by persons sup- 

 posed to be acquainted with the subject. Mr. Ray states this matter fully in his 

 Hist. Plant, vol. ii. p. 156o. From these reasons Mr. Ray draws a conclusion, 

 that the cinnamon of Ceylon is cinnamon ; and the cinnamon of Malabar, &c. 

 is the cassia of the shops. From these specimens Mr. W. next produces, it 

 will most plainly appear, he thinks, that these differences are merely accidents 



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