on the Horttis MaJaharicus, Part III. 85 



Katou Indel, he should have inquired whether the hitter pro- 

 duces a gum or resin {lachryma), such as was used by the Roman 

 perfumers. This being by no means the case, the name Elate 

 is improperly applied to the Katou Indel. 



Willdenow however (Sp. PI. iv. 403.), and the Ilurftts Kcu'- 

 ensis, v. 280, continue to describe the Katou Indel as the Elate, 

 a genus distinct from the Pfianiv, and place it in Monœcia hex- 

 andria, probably because Rheede figures and describes only 

 the female tree, the tria albicantia lanuginosa staminula, which 

 he mentions, being the three pistilla. M. Lamarck {Enc. 

 Meth. iii. 244.), although he continues to describe it as the 

 Elate sylvestris, observes, " C'est un Palmier qui nous paroit 

 extrêmement voisin du Dattier {Phœnix daetijlifera) par ces 

 rapports, et dont même il est peut-être une espèce." The only 

 doubt I have is, whether or not it is to be considered as any 

 thing else than merely the uncultivated variety of the Phanix 

 dactijUfera. Dr. Roxburgh indeed, an excellent authority, men- 

 tions {Tlort. Beng. 73.) both a Phœnix dactylifera and a P.si/l- 

 vei<t7-is ; which last I know to be the Katou Indel, although he 

 does not quote it, deterred by the authority of so many great 

 botanists : but then in this catalogue he inserts, under distinct 

 names, plants which he admits to be mere varieties ; as for 

 example, the AJusa sapientum and .1/. paradisiaca, p. ly : and I 

 must sa}', that looking with the utmost care at the common plant 

 of India, and that known to have been brought from xlrabia, like 

 those in the garden of the late Tippoo Sultaun, when in a simi- 

 lar state of growth, — that is, when the stems were only a foot or 

 two in height, and before they began to flower, — I have not been 

 able to see the smallest difference between them, except that the 

 plant of Arabia was rather the largest and more vigorous. 

 With such an extraordinary similarity, I should be very much 

 indeed surprised to find that the proper Date of Arabia had 

 only one pistillum : but if this be the case, we must admi the 



species 



