82 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Commentary 



Breynii, Seba, et Kcempferi. Enc. Met/i. ii. '231. (excluso 

 Sebce synonymo Sup. ii. 425. in observatione.) IVilld. Sp. 

 PL iv. 844, Brown Nov. Boll. i. 347. in observatione. llort. 

 Kezc. V. 409. 



I have only further to add, that in the figures the rings on the 

 stems are represented more reguhir and deep than I have ever 

 observed on the growing plant, which has probably prevented 

 Dr. Roxburgh {Hort. Beng. 71-) from quoting them. 



Katou Indel, 7^. 15. tab. 22— '25. 



In India this is the most common Palm. The names Katoit 

 Indel, Tamara do Miito, and Wild Dandel Boom imply its being a 

 kind of Date ; and the resemblance between it and the Date- 

 palm brought from Arabia is so great, that, except by the fruit, I 

 could not distinguish the one from the other : but I did not see 

 the tiower of the Arabian plant. The fruits are very ditierent in 

 quality, but not more so than those of the Crab-apple and Pippin ; 

 yet the tiower of the Katou Indel differs so much from that of 

 the Phœnix dactylifera, at least as this is described by Linnaeus, 

 that he considered it as belonging to a different genus ; for its 

 flower has six stamina and three germina, while Linnœus be- 

 lieved that the Date had three stamina and one germen ; and it 

 is still thus described in the Hortus Kewensis and by Willdenow : 

 but M. Lamarck {Enc. Meth. ii. 26l.) observes that the Phœnix 

 dactylifera has six stamina. He indeed describes it as having 

 only one germen ; but he has perhaps been led to do this from 

 no more than one coming to maturity, as is the case also in the 

 Katou Indel. 



Neither Commeline in his note, nor Plukenet (Aim. 276.), 

 seems to have been aware of the strong resemblance between 

 the proper Date-tree and the Katou Indel, which they call Palma 



sylvestris 



