Descriptions of Malayan Plants, 215 



branches. The Corolla is five-petalled, longer than the 

 calyx, the petals, ovate lanceolate, and in some degree 

 adnate or connected together at the base. The Stamina 

 are numerous, and have their filaments united into a ring, 

 in which particular it differs from the genera most nearly 

 related to it. The anthers are nearly sessile on the tube of the 

 filaments, conniving into a conical head round the style, 

 and terminating in acute, membranaceous points. The ovary 

 is three-celled, containing two ovula in each cell. The 

 style is longer than the stamina, and crowned by a capitate 

 stigma. 



In Sumatra the Camphor-trees are confined to the country 

 of the Battas, which extends about a degree and a half imme- 

 diately to the North of the Equator. They are also found 

 in Borneo in nearly the same parallel of latitude, and I have 

 reason to believe that there are some in the neighbourhood 

 of Singapore and Johore. This valuable tree is not known 

 to exist in any other part of the world, and on this account, 

 as well as the difficulty of obtaining its produce, this kind of 

 Camphor bears an exorbitant price. It is all carried to 

 China, where it sells for about twelve times as much as that 

 of Japan. 



This Camphor is found in a concrete state, occupying 

 cavities and fissures in the heart of the tree. In order to 

 obtain it, the tree is felled and split into lengths, to allow of 

 the extraction of the crystallized masses. The same trees 

 yield both the concrete substance and an oil, which is sup- 

 posed to be the first stage of the formation of the Camphor. 

 The Sumatran Camphor is little known in Europe, and it 

 would perhaps deserve examination to ascertain how far its 

 properties differ from those of the common kind. It appears 

 to be less volatile, and its odour is not so diffusive. A 

 quantity of it has been recently forwarded to Sir E. Home, 

 for the purpose of experiment. 



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