on the Hortiis Malabaricus, Part III. 135 



but as it has smooth leaves, it can be neither one nor the other. 

 The proper synonyma of the Perahi, which Commeline referred 

 to the Katou Aloii, Pkikenet ( J/w. 144.) refers to his Ficus In- 

 dien Tilice folio, subtils alba et viUoso, polyrhizos, sen filainentis e 

 summis ramis ad ferram missis radicosa, which he procured from 

 the sea-shore of Barbadoes, and of which a figure is given 

 (t. 178. /". 3.) ; and with this also he confounds the Pipal of the 

 Bengalese, although in /. 2. he gives a representation of this 

 plant which cannot be mistaken. The plant of Barbadoes by 

 M. Lamarck {Eîie. Meth. iii. 352.) is referred to the Hibiseus 

 tiliaceiis, not without strong grounds ; yet it is difficult to sup- 

 pose such an error in Plukenet, especially as he no doubt 

 represents the Hibiseus tiliaceiis in another place {Amalt/t. vi. 

 t. 355. f. 5.). I am therefore inclined to follow Willdenow in 

 tliinking the plant of Barbadoes to be at least a Ficus {Sp. PL 

 iv. 1133.), although I doubt much of its being the Sijcomorus of 

 Egypt, as he supposes. The figure no doubt resembles a good 

 deal that of the Sijeomovus Mathioli in John Bauhin {Hist. Plant. 

 i. 124. /'. 1.) ; — but who ever heard of the Sycamore growing in 

 Barbadoes as a Mangrove? This opinion originated probably 

 with Burman (F/. Ind. 225.) ; and^ I doubt as much of the fact 

 of the Sycamoi'us being found in the East, as in the West, Indies. 

 The plant that Burman mistook for it is probably what I take to be 

 the Fieiis Caricoides of Dr. Roxburgh [I fort. Beng. 65.), of which 

 I have deposited specimens in the library at the India House. 



Having thus endeavoured to correct the error into which I 

 fell when treating of the Peralu and Ficus Indiea, and to show 

 that neither it nor the Katou Alou Avas known to Plukenet, I 

 return to Burman, who, following the first edition of the Species 

 Plantaviuu, gives us (F/. Ind. 225.) the Katou Alou as the true 

 Ficus Indira of the ancients, but without quoting any American 

 plant as synonymous. He however adds as a variety the Tsjela, 



to 



