334 
COMMENTARY ON 
Caput XXX. 
Prunum stellatum angulosum, p. 115, t. 35. 
This fruit was noticed by very early botanical writers ; 
but seems very inferior in ancient India, where I have seen 
it, to what it would seem to be in the Indian Archipelago, 
as described by Rumphius. Rheede (Hort. Mai. iii. 51, 
t. 43 & 44) gives a good account of it, as found in ancient 
India. Plukenet then mentions it in two places; first, 
(Aim. under Ray's name, " Malus Indica porno an- 
guloso Carambolas dicta and, secondly, (Mant. 36), un- 
der the name of " Carambola, Malabarorum Tamaratonga 
Horti Malabarici.'' The elder Burman (Thcs. Zeyl. 148) 
calls it " Malus Indica, foliis sennas occidentalis, fructu 
acido, pentagono, sulcato, floribus rubris." He also gives 
the synonyma of preceding authors with tolerable care; 
and mentions the true Indian name, Kama-ranga^ derived 
from Karma-ranga of the Sanskrit ; but his explanation of 
this name is totally absurd. The description of Rumphius 
comes next in order, and is excellent. The sweet and sour 
kinds mentioned by him are varieties, such as occur in all 
plants much cultivated. Linnaeus, in publishing the Flora 
^eylanica, established the genus Averrhoa, and made this 
one of the species (178), as is usual in tliat work, quoting 
the synonyma with admirable care. In the Species Planta- 
rum it obtained the specific name Caramhola, and continues 
to be called by this appellation in all subsequent authors 
of note ; yet this name is of very doubtful origin. It is 
true, that Rheede asserts it to be the name in use with the 
Brahmans of Malabar; but he adds also, and with the 
Portuguese, a coincidence that would be remarkable ; but 
the Sanskrita name is Karma-ranga, in the vulgar dialects 
of the north corrupted into Kama-ranga, a name which 
extends from the Ganges even to Ceylon ; and I suspect 
