1839] 



Remarks on Lmirus Cassia. 



131 



the truth, and that if a figure exhibited even a remote simil arity to a 

 phmt before him, especially if from the same country, he might 

 with safely quote it as a synonym. Bearing this in mind, we can easily 

 account for a number of errors to which his incorrect synonyms have 

 given rise. The present instance affords an excellent example of what 

 I have here stated, and one which, but for the discovery of Mr. IMarshall, 

 might have long remained undetected. 



In Hermans herbarium of Ceylon plants, he (Linnseus) found one bearing 

 the native names of Dawalkurundu, Nikadawala" under which, it is 

 referred to, or described in Hermans Musseum Zeylanicum. This he 

 considered a species of Laurus, apparently from habit alone, and in hh 

 usual brief precise style, calls it, Laurus foliis lanceolatis trinerviis 

 nervis supra basin unitis ; having previously called the true cinnamon, 



Laurus foliis ovato-oblcngis trinerviis basi nervos unientibus." The dif- 

 ference between the two, as indicated by the names, seems very slight, 

 merely depending on the one having lanceolate leaves with the nerves 

 luiited above the base ; while in the other the leaves are said to be ovate 

 oblong with the nerves distinct to the base — differences small indeed, 

 and such as could never be found of much avail in distinguishing the 

 one plant from the other, since they are both constantly met with in 

 different leaves on the same tree. Such being the case, it is not much to 

 be wondered at that botanists should have been surprised by the boldness 

 of Mr. Marshall's announcement, that two trees, believed to be of the same 

 genus, and so nearly alike in their external forms, should yet differ so 

 very widely in their properties. But so it is, and nothing can be more 

 certain than that the fact is as he states it. 



In proceeding to trace the history of the two species, aided by the 

 light Mr. Marshall has thrown on them, our difficulties vanish like mist 

 before the noon-day sun, though Mr. M. himself, has found it " difficult 

 to conceive how the Dawalkurundu obtained the appellation of ZawrM,? 

 Cassia from Linnaeus." It was because Linnfeus's specimen of Dawal- 

 kurundu was neither in flower nor in fruit. Had it been so, he was too 

 acute an observer ever to have confounded it with the plants with which 

 he has associated it in his synonyms. This explanation, it may be an- 

 swered, is mere assumption on my partr— it certainly is so, but supported 

 by so strong circumstantial evidence,as not to leave a doubt of its correctness. 

 Linnseus has in his Flora Zeylanica given a short description of each of 

 these species : his description of the cinnamon is principally confined to 

 the flower, and is most precise. In his description of the other, the 

 flower is not once alluded to» Here he declares, that he knows not by 

 what mark to distinguish it from the Camphorifera japoneiisiiim, which 



