[ 356 ] 



2a.1L Afi Jlccount of the fenfiiive S^mlity of the Tree Averrlioa 

 Carambpla. In a Letter frmi Robert Bruce, Af.D. to Sir 

 Jolcph Banks, Bart. P.R.S. 



Read April 14, 1785. 



"^HE Averrlioa Carambola of Linn^us, a tree called in 

 Bengal the Camruc or Camrunga, is poffeffed of a power 

 fomewhat fimilar to thofe Ipecics of Mimofa which are termed 

 fenfitive plants ; its leaves, on being touched, move very per- 

 ceptibly. 



In the Mimofa the moving faculty extends to the branches ; 

 but, from the hardnefs of the wood, this cannot be expelled iii 

 the Camrunga. The leaves are alternately pinnated, with an 

 odd one ; and in their moft common pofition in the day-time 

 iire horizontal, or on the fame plane with the branch from 

 which they come out. On being touched, they move them- 

 felves downwards, frequently in {o great a degree that the two 

 oppofite almoft touch one another by their under fides, and the 

 young ones fometimes either come into contact or even pafs 

 ^ach other. 



The whole of the leaves of one pinna move by ftriking the ; 

 branch with the nail of the finger, or other hard fubftance ; 

 or each leaf can be moved fingly, by making an impreflion that 

 ihall not extend beyond that leaf. In this way, the leaves of 

 one fide of the pinna may be made to move, one after another, 

 whilfl the oppofite continue as they were ; or you may make 



them 



