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another, and so form a great ball or intricate bush. A span above 
their insertion they are geniculate. Below that the leaf ig narrow 
and convolute, resembling a stalk; up to that point they were 
originally firmly adpressed against their stem. Above the knee 
the leaf is flat and reflexed though the middle nerve igs fairly 
stiff. Crushed between the hands the leaves emit a strong 
aromatic odour, and chewed they taste similarly, with a noticeable 
acridity, but without causing any burning sensation in the throat. 
“The bases of those leaves form a stout and ventricose stipes or 
stem, closely clasping each other, resembling skins, whitish in colour 
and more aromatic than the leaves themselves, smelling somewhat 
like dried roses ; and that is considered the best part of the plant. 
“Although those leaves thus clasp each other and form a 
roundish or sometimes flattened stem, there is nevertheless 
inside them nothing that could be compared with a reed or 
rush. . . . I also observed that the odour of the Arabian 
plant approaches distinctly that of roses; whilst in the Amboina 
grass it is mixed with that of fennel. The root resembles that of 
Acorus, but is much shorter, thinner and more woody, divided 
into distinct annular joints and sparingly branched. The branches 
generally rise obliquely out of the ground, attached to it by hard 
and thin rootlets, and bearing at their ends 2, 3 or 4-0f the: 
ventricose stalks mentioned above, The remainder of the root 
does not penetrate much into the Soil, in which it is fixed by 
means of numerous woody fibres. . . . Its aromatic odour 
and taste is more intense than in the (remainder of the) plant ; 
it is acrid, hot, not burning, with a pleasant bitterness, and the. 
rose odour is more distinct in the dry state. : 
“In Amboina, the Siree ig usually kept barren so that one does 
not see it in flower or fruit. Still it has happened, though rarely, 
that flowers have been observed on certain specimens, and they 
are of two kinds, genuine and fabulous. The genuine flowers are 
nothing but a panicle, as in Tuhu Sala, and in Kulong. 
“The whole panicle inclines always to one side, isa span long 
or even longer, and composed of long tops or oblong headlets 
(spikelets) like oats, which are empty and have short yellowish- 
brown glumes, which, however, do not produce any-distinct seed 
unless it were the inner chaffy points which, however, do not 
germinate. These flowers may frequently, or rather commonly, 
be seen in old Siree plants in Ternate, Motira and Mackian, 
where they form larger bushes than in Amboina, and produce 
leaves almost five feet long. Here a slender, straight and firm 
stem grows out from the centre, bearing a few leaves and the 
panicle described above. 
“That never occurs in Amboina or very rarely. For when in 
1678 some old pieces of the same kind as those of Ternate were 
planted near by had been left uncut) and planted in other gardens 
near the houses, they would not behave in the same way (2.e., did 
not flower). Similarly the Siree;plants on Siree Hill, although © 
