83 
buck, by which, in Indian bazars, I obtained the roots of 
Acorus Calamus; one of the Aroidece, and very different 
from the most fragrant of grasses, as is that of Namur. 
The other species of xaXa/*o{, Diosc. 1. 114, is translated 
arundo, and by the Arabs kusb, under which they arrange 
the different kinds of bamboo, which were probably included 
under the general denomination by Dioscorides. This we may 
infer, from solid or male and female kinds being mentioned, 
as well as their uses for pipes, arrows, and for writing; 
for which these, with species of Arundo and Saccharum, 
are now employed in India. Allied to these in a botanical 
point of view, is Saccharum qfflcinarum, which has need- 
lessly been supposed not to have yielded saccharum, or 
the substance known by this name to the ancients ; the 
same authors conjecturing this to be Tabasheer, now so 
well known as found within the bamboo. Considering 
that this substance is pure silex, it is not likely to have 
been arranged with the honeys, and described under the 
head of ste^i Xaxx<xpou /usTiitoj. The Arabic name, moreover, 
of sugar, is sukkur, derived from the Sanscrit sarkura, or 
Tamul sakkara. 
Under ttwimpo;, Cyperus rotundus, L., a second kind is 
described as the produce of India {Cyperus indicus, Auct.). 
The Arabs give sad as the synonyme of Cyperus ; and, in 
India, motha, Sans, moostha, is given as the synonyme of 
sad ; and we obtain, under that name, the roots of Cyperus 
heocastychus, Rottb., a species which, was considered by 
Dr. Roxburgh to be identical with C. rotundus. The 
irregular-formed tubers, about the size of acorns, which 
constitute the root, are eaten by cattle in India, and used 
as a perfume at the weddings of the natives. 
In noticing the various productions of India, supposed 
to have been known to the ancients, it is interesting to 
observe how many of these are the produce of the Peniu- 
