OF THE MORINDA CITRIFOLIA. 437 
the dye they contain. According to Dr Batrour, however, some confusion exists 
with regard to these two species, which differ so slightly, that it is doubtful 
whether they ought not to be conjoined, the sole difference consisting in the leaves, 
which are shining in the céérifolia, and not shining in the ¢éenctoria, in the former 
oval, in the latter oblong. All things taken into consideration, Dr Baurour is of 
opinion that we are perfectly safe in referring the sooranjee to the Morinda citri- 
folia, which has been long described as the source of the native dye. 
The JMorimda citrifolia has been described by KHEEDE* under the name of 
Cada pilava, and is referred by botanists to the Bancudus lutifolia of Rumpuivs,+ 
though it is curious that he expressly states that the roots of this species possess 
no dyeing properties, while he is very explicit regarding those of his Bancudus 
angustifolia, the M. umbellata of modern botanists, and the Wongkudu of the Ja- 
vanese dyers, by whom it is employed to produce a beautiful scarlet. <A detailed 
account of the cultivation of the MW. citrifolha, and its employment as a dye, is 
given by Mr Hunver,+ who states that it is known by the name of Aal in Ma- 
Jawa, and of Atchy in Oude. No experiments, so far as I know, have been made 
on the chemistry of its colouring matter, unless we except some observations of 
Dr Bancrort,§ on a root sent from India under the name of Aurtch, resembling 
madder in its external appearance, and which, from the analogy of the native 
names, he conjectures to be the WW. citrifolia ; no definite proof, however, is given, 
as Dr Banorort had not seen the plant, and I am inclined to doubt their iden- 
tity, as the characters he ascribes to it do not agree with those of the substance 
I have examined. With regard to the term Sooranjee, I have been able to obtain 
no information in any of the works on the natural productions of India, nor is 
any one of whom I have had an opportunity of inquiring acquainted with the 
name. 
Sooranjee is the root of the plant, and is imported cut up into pieces from one 
to four inches in length, and varying in diameter from half down to nearly an 
eighth of an inch. On the small pieces the bark is thick, and forms a large pro- 
portion of the whole root, but on the larger fragments it is much thinner. Its 
external colour is pale greyish-brown; but when broken across, it presents colours 
varying from fine yellow into brownish-red, and confined principally to the bark. 
The wood itself has only a slight yellowish shade, deepest in the centre, and 
scarcely apparent close to the bark ;|| but it is coloured dark red by alkalies, in- 
* Ruxepe, Hortus Malabaricus, vol. 1., p. 97. 
; Rumeuntivus, Herbarium Amboinense, hb. v., cap. 13. 
j Asiatic Researches, vol. iv., p. 35. 
§ Philosophy of Permanent Colours, vol. i1., p. 308. 
|| This is also mentioned by Rumputus as a character of the woody part of the roots and stem 
of his Bancudus angustifolia. 
