Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/266

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344
Remarks on the Gamboge Tree of Ceylon.
[July

composition in the product, and from their medicinal effects being precisely the same, as has been proved in Ceylon, and in this country, both by Dr. Christison and myself.

It seems probable, from some parts of the description in the Flora Indica, and the quality of the Gamboge yielded by it, that Garcinia pictoria, Roxb., may prove to be another species of this genus; but in this conjecture I must be wrong, if Buchanan is correct in considering this the same as Oxycarpus Indica (Encycl. Method. Suppl. 4. 257). I think, however, Buchanan is mistaken, for he deems it, at the same time, synonymous with Garcinia Indica of Choisy, and with "Arbor Indica Gummi guttam fundens," &c. of Burmann; while, in fact, the specimen in his Herbarium, from which he makes these references (No. 1118) is Garcinia cornea. The locality where Garcinia pictoria is found (Wynaad) being limited, and the tree having been, formerly at least, well known at Tellicherry, it is probable that specimens may be procured to ascertain the fact.


Hebradendron.[1] Graham.

Nat Ord. Guttiferæ.—Class and Ord. Monæcia (or Diæcia?) Monadelphia.

Gen. Char. Hebradendron. Flores diclines. Masc. Calyx membranaceus 4-sepalus, persistens. Corolla 4-petala. Stamina monadelpha, columella 4-gona, antheræ terminales, operculo umbilicato circumscisso. Fæm. incognitus. Bacca multi (4) locularis, loculis monospermis, staminibus quibusdam abortivis liberis basi circumdata, stigmate sessile lobato muricato coronata. Cotyledones crassæ, coadunatæ. Radicula centralis, filiformis.—Arbores foliis integris.

1. Hebradendron cambogioides; floribus masculis axillaribus, fasci- culatis; sepalis junioribus subæqualibus; foliis obovato-ellipticis, abrupte subacuminatis.


Synonyms.

Carcapuli Linscot, Herman. Mus. Zeylan. p. 26. Ibid. in Rheed. Hort. Malab. 1. 42. in nota.—Ray, Hist. Plant. 2. 1661. Samuel Dale Pharmacop. 327.

Arbor Cambodiensis Guttam Gambi fundens. Pluk. Alm. 41. Ibid. Mantissa 20.

Arbor Indica Gummi guttam fundens, fructu dulci rotundo, Cerasi magnitudine, Carcapuli Acostæ. J. Burmann. Thesaurus Zeylan. 27.

Cambogia Gutta. Linn. Fl. Zeylan. 87. (excl. omn. syn. præter. Dale, Ray, Burm. Herm.) N. L. Burmann. Fl. Indic. 119. (excl. Syn. Pluk. et Rheed).

Mangostana Morella. Gært. Fruct. 2. p. 106. t. 105.

Garcinia Morella. Desrousseaux in Lam. Encycl. Method. 3. 701. Pers. Synops. 2. 3. Choisy in De Cand. Prodr. 1. 561.

  1. From (Symbol missingGreek characters) in allusion to the peculiar dehiscence of the anthers.