OF THE IIERBAIIIUM AMBOINENSE. 295 
In the Mantissa, Linnaeus found it necessary to separate 
the Leucodendrori from the Myrtus^ and founded a new 
genus, to which he gave the name Melaleuca, which means, 
whatever he intended, the Black Populus alba. In the 
Supplementum of the younger Linnaeus, still another plant 
was added to the Melaleuca Leucodendrum, which in this 
state contained five species, one of which was indeed admit- 
ted to be a variety. This, however, was by Gaertner de- 
scribed as a new species, vi^hich he called M. mridiflora 
(De Sem. i. 173, t. 35), a name adopted by Sir J. E. 
Smith, when he pointed out its identity with the M. Leu- 
codendron /3 of Linnaeus (Linn. Trans, iii. 275). Notwith- 
standing, however, of his very uncommon accuracy and 
care, this distinguished botanist confounded the plant 
which gives the oil with the Ai^bor alba (H. A, ii. t. 16), 
the only real authority for his Melaleuca Leucodendron 
(Lin. Trans, ii. 274). 
Willdenow (Sp. PI. iii. 1428) adopts Sir J. E. Smith's 
specific character for his M. Leucodendron, and the idea 
of its being the plant which produces the cajeput oil ; but, 
where he says " folia subavenia," he certainly had not be- 
fore his eyes a specimen of either plant, and his expression 
was probably borrowed from Linnseus or Jussieu (Gen. 
Plant. 359) ; by the latter of whom even the habit of the 
plant is erroneously described ; " folia subavenia ; pedun- 
culi breves, multiflori, ramulis insidentes infra folia." This 
is evidently taken from the figure, where the leaves are re- 
presented without nerves or veins ; but in the description 
it is said, " folia per longitudinem nervos habentia novem 
decemve, quorum quatuor quinqueve (nervi veri) prse reli- 
quis (venae) eminent.""* In the figure, also, three of the 
parts bearing fructification are represented, as " spicae mul- 
tiflorae ramulis infra folia insidentes but the real inflo- 
rescence of this plant, as well as of several other allied spe- 
