JOURNAL R. A. S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. III. 



SCRIPTURE BOTANY OF CEYLON. 



By William Ferguson, Esq. 



The following familiar observations on some of the Plants 

 mentioned in the Bible, and which are indigenous to, or are 

 related to genera and species growing or known in Ceylon, 

 form portion of a lecture delivered by me last year to the 

 Young Men's Christian Association in Colombo. 



During my inquiries into this subject, I made free use of 

 all the authorities at my command, and therefore, to those 

 who have read one of the various works on the Botany of the 

 Bible, it is not likely that much original matter will be found 

 in these observations, further than the identification of the 

 plants with our Ceylon ones. 



Cinnamon and Cassia. 

 Os?dig leuruhdu Sin. Ginnamomum, Zeylanicum. Nees.) 



The word Cinnamon occurs four times in the Bible, first 

 about 1,600 years before the Christian era, in Exodus xxx. ver. 

 23, where it is enumerated as amongst the ingredients 

 employed in the preparation of the holy anointing oil. 

 " Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh 

 five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much." 

 Again " I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and 

 cinnamon. (Prov. vii. 17.) " Spikenard and saffron, callamus 

 and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense." (Cant. iv. 

 14.) While in Revelation, among the merchandise of Babylon, 

 we have enumerated " Cinnamon and odours, and ointments 

 and frankincense." (Rev. xviii. 13.) 



