118 Dr. Francis Hamilton's Coinmentary 



as numerous as in any Cappnris. The appearance of the Cra- 

 tœva is however so different from that of the Capparis, that they 

 cannot enter one natural genus ; and I think the character 

 by which they may be best distinguished is, that the Capparis 

 has petalu sessilia, and the Cratceva, petala unguiculata. Linnaeus 

 could not of course make use of this distinction, because the 

 petala of the Marmelos are sessile. The flowers of the Cratceva 

 also are polygamous, a large proportion being entirely male, with 

 only a rudiment of the pistillum. "Whether or not they are all 

 diœcious I cannot say, but some are certainly so. 



In the course of travelling, I observed that the specimens of 

 the Cratava, which I examined, differed considerably from each 

 other, so as to lead me to suspect that in India there may be 

 several species : but as I never afterwards was long enough 

 stationary in one place to observe the same tree in all its stages, 

 or to try the effect of different situations on the seed of the same 

 plant, I am by no means certain that my suspicions are well 

 founded. I shall however mention the circumstances by which 

 1 was induced to suppose that there are at least four species of 

 Cratceva in the Gangetic provinces. This will at any rate throw 

 light on the true generic character. Specimens of the whole 

 have been deposited in the library at the India House. 



I shall first describe a species which I met with in Behar, and 

 which, I believe, is Dr. Roxburgh's Capparis trifoliata, because 

 he does not quote the Niirva/a as synonymous, and because he 

 thought it his plant when on my return from A va I showed him 

 specimens. If it were not for the long point at the end of the 

 leaflets, their breadth would fully equal their length ; includini^ 

 these points, the breadth is about half the length. 



1. Crata^va odora. 



Capparis trifoliata. Hort. Berig. 41 ? 



Varuna 



