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mul, 45, Apollonius Memphites, and “ knëstrôn ” of i Morb. mul. t i t , are all identified in Syn. Diosc.
with the “ thumëlaia” of Dioscorides, a shrub growing in rough mountainous situations and producing
“ knithëiôs kôkkôs,” its leaves also collected and dried and specially called “ knëôrôn ; ” the
“ thumëlaia” or “ puros ahnën” is further identified in Syn. Diosc. with the “ apôlinôn ” or “ linón”
of the Syrians, named from the resemblance ; the “ thymelaeam ” or “ pyros achnen ” or “ cnestron ”
or “ linum ” of Greece and Asia is described from Dioscorides by Pliny xiii. 35 and xxi. 29; and
“ habb Cnidijeh ” are mentioned by Ebn Baitar: D. Gnidium was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard,
and Fraas, from the Peloponnesus throughout Greece frequent in the situations indicated by Dioscorides.
Westward, is described by Matthioli, and Clusius (Spreng.) ; is termed “ th. foliis lini ” by
Tournefort inst. 594; and is known to grow in Italy, Barbary, Spain, and Southern France (Pers.,
and Lenz). Its properties according to Lindley are “ like those of Mezereum ” (see D. cneorum).
“ 777 B. C. = 5th year of Yeou-wang” (Chinese chron. table), beginning of the Thirty-second cycle.
“ 776 B. C ,” ( = “ 2d year of the Athenian archon Aeschylus and in the reign of Uzziah,” Euseb.
and Clint., = 1413 — “ 51 — 6r — 20 — 60 — 5 — 7 — 135 — 130 — 120 — 40 — 8 years ” and in
the reign of “ Pëtôuvatês ” of the Afr.-Maneth. table, the Euseb.-Maneth. table giving 332 + “ 6 +
4 - ( -6 + 2 o - f - 2 i y . 4 mo. + 6 + 120 y. 4 mo. + 163 -(- 44 44 + 10 ” = 776 y. 8 mo.), the First
registered Olympiad : Coroebus declared victor.
“ Sept. 6th ” = “ winter, on the first day of the tenth month in the 6th year of Yeou-wang ” (Li-
tai-ki-sse, Gaubil, and Pauth. io6), eclipse of the sun.
As early probably as this date, products of the Moluccas brought to China.*
* Cocculus crispus of the Equatorial portion of the Malayan archipelago, from Java to the Moluccas.
A woody climber spreading over trees, called in Malay “ putra-wali ” (Lindl.), and from early
times employed medicinally : — termed “ funis felleus ” by Rumphius v. pl. 44 ; and known to grow
on Java, Baley, and Amboyna, the whole plant exceedingly bitter, a powerful febrifuge employed by
the Malays in intermittents (Roxb., and Lindl.).
Hederá umbellifera of the Moluccas. , A woody Araiiaceous plant — termed by Rumphius ii.
pl. 12 “ pseudosantalum amboinense ” as observed on the mountains of Amboyna, yielding according
to Lindley “ a blackish or dull brown resin with a very powerful aromatic or camphorated odour.”
The plant from transported specimens is described by Lamarck diet. i. 225.
Strychnos ligustrina of Timor and neighbouring islands. Having the aspect of the orange tree
and called “ caju-ular ” or “ caju-nassi ” or “ caju-bidara-pait ” or “ caju-bidara-laut ” (Lindl.) ; and
from early times in the Malayan archipelago its wood employed medicinally:— described by Rumphius
ii. pl. 38 and termed “ lignum colubrinum caju ular; ” furnishing according to Blume rum. i. 68
the lignum colubrinum of Timor, formerly in the highest estimation, but omitted from modern practice
(Lindl.).
Soulamea amara of the shores of the Moluccas. A Polygalaceous shrub or small tree, from
early times used medicinally : — termed “ rex amaroris ” by Rumphius ii. pl. 41 from the “ horrenda
amarities” intense bitterness of all its parts, especially the roots and fruit. In the Malayan archipelago,
according to Lindley, employed “ with extraordinary success in cholera, and pleurisy, and
most valuable as a febrifuge.”
Sandoricum Indicum of the Eastern portion of the Malayan archipelago. An elegant Meliaceous
tree called in Burmah “ theet-to” (Mason), in Malay “ santoor” (Graham), in Tagalo “ santol ”
(Blanco); and from early times, its fruit eaten and sweet-scented wood v a lu e d :— observed by
Rumphius i. pl. 61 on the Moluccas (Pers.) ; by Blanco, well known on the Philipirines. Westward,
by Blume on Java, its root aromatic, stomachic and antispasmodic, employed in combination with
bark of the root of Xylocarpus obovatus against leucorrhcea (Lindl.) ; by Mason v. 457 to 525,
“ e xo tic ” in Burmah, affording “ good timber” and the “ fleshy acid p u lp ” of its mangosteen-like
fruit highly relished by the natives ; was observed by Roxburgh in Hindustan ; and by Nimmo has
been recently introduced into the environs of Bombay (Graham).
Cicca disticha of the Eastern portion of the Malayan archipelago. The conntiy gooseberry is a
small Euphorbiaceous tree called in the environs of Bombay “ harparewree ” (Graham), in Hindustanee
“ harfaroorie,” in Telinga “ rassa useriki,” in Tamil “ arunelli,” in Bengalee “ nubaree ” (Drur.),
in Burmah “ them-bau-hzee-phyu ” (Mason) ; and from early times, its fruit eaten : — termed “ chera-
mela” by Rumphius vii. pl. 33 ; and probably one of the species seen on the Philippines by Blanco.
Westward, was observed by Mason v. 454 to 479 “ exotic ” in Burmah, planted all over the country,
its fruit “ h igh ly ” valued by the natives, and seeds employed as purgatives ; was observed in Hindustan
by Roxburgh, and Buchanan ; by Rheede iii. pl. 47 and 48, in Malabar ; by Graham, “ pretty
common in gardens, Bombay,” its fruit of the “ size of a gooseberry,” having “ an acid flavour,” and
“ sometimes sold in the bazar.”
Coesalpinia nuga of the Moluccas. Woody, unarmed, when growing among trees climbing, and
: r
OF A C C O M P A N Y IN G A N IM A L S A N D P L A N T S . 209
“ 775 B. C .” (Euseb., and Clint.), Arctinus, the earliest poet of the epic Cycle, at this time writing.
One of his verses is important in Greek Mythology, from representing Jupiter dancing.
“ 774 B. C .” (Euseb., and Clint), in Italy, the two cities of Pandosia and Metapontum founded
by Greek colonists.
771 B. C. (= 753 -f- “ 10 -f- 8 y r s ” of the Afr.-Maneth. table, the Euseb.-Maneth.
I table giving + “ 10 -f- 9 yrs ” = 772), PStoubates succeeded by Osorhfi or Os5rth6n,
second king of the Twenty-third dyna.sty. By the Egyptians, he was “ called Hercu-
I le s .” The name of king Osarkon I I I . occurs on contemporaneous monuments —
(Leps. k. pl. 46).
The mummy recently unrolled in Boston proved to be that of a person who died in this king’s
reign : the ovals of “ Osorkon I I I . ” being stamped on leather bands.
Cyperus rotundus of Tropical and Subtropical Asia. The nut-grass is called in Greece “ ku-
pSire” (Sibth.), in Egypt “ sa’ed,” in Nubia “ magysseh ” (Del.), and tubers unrolled from this mummy
— appeared to me to belong here : the living C. rotundus was observed in Egypt by Delile. Fardier
North, the “ kupiirSn ” having a fragrant root is mentioned by Hippocrates vict. acut. 409; by Theophrastus
iv. 10. 5 and od. 28 as difficult to extirpate, producing at intervals underground swellings,
an ointment from its roots imported from the Cyclades; by Dioscorides, as occurring in cultivated
ground and producing a plexus of olive-like roots ; is identified in the added Synonyms with the
“ iounkoum” or “ iounki radikim ” of the Romans, and the “ iunci- trianguli ” by Pliny xxi. 69 with
the “ cyperon:” C. rotundus is described by Morison viii. pl. 1 1 ; is termed “ c. r. vulgaris ” by
Tournefort 527; was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard, and Fraas, from the Peloponnesus throughout
the Greek islands, troublesome in vineyards and its roots according to Hawkins placed on account of
their fragrance among clothing; is known to occur also in Italy and other parts of Southern Europe
(Gouan, Targ , and Steud.). Eastward from Egypt, is called in Bengalee “ moothoo,” in Telinga
“ shaka-toonga,” in Tamil “ k oray ” (Drury); was observed by Graham in the environs of Bombay,
its roots “ used both as a perfume and medicine;” by Rottler, and Roxburgh, in other parts of Hindustan,
and according to Drury “ is perhaps the most common species” as far as Bengal; is described
also by Rumphius vi pl. i ; roots of a Cyperus that “ taste like filberts” were seen by Mason v. p.
473 in Burmah: and C. rotundus by Thunberg in Japan, and called “ kobusi ” or “ sanrio ” By
European colonists, was carried to America, probably to the West Indies or Florida, and extending
thence has become exceedingly troublesome in cultivated ground in our Southern States ; is termed
“ c. hyd ra” by Michaux. (See Lathyrus amphicarpus).
“ In this y e a r ” (Lacharme note to Chi-King i. 6. i ) the Chinese emperor Yeou-wang defeated
and slain by the prince of Chin assisted by the Western Tartars. Succeeded by his son Y-kieou,
who took the name of Fing-wang.
“ 770 B. C. = 1st year of Ping-wang, of the T ch eo u ” or Fifth dynasty — (Chinese chron. table).
A vase inscribed with a decree of Ping-wang, ceding territory to the prince of Thsin, has been
discovered in the province of Chen-si — (Pauth. 107).
from early times employed medicinally : — observed by Rumphius v. pl. 50 on Amboyna (Pers.), a
decoction of the root used according to Lindley in calculous and nephritic complaints.
Nipa fruticans of the Eastern portion of the Malayan archipelago. A stemless palm with
long hard loosely-pinnate fronds, called in Burmah “ da-ne” (Mason), in Tagalo “ sa s a ” or “ nipa”
(Blanco), and known from early times : — observed by Rumphius i. pl. 16, and Thunberg . . . ; by
Blanco, and myself, wild on the seashore of the Philippines. Westward, by Mason “ exotic ” in
Burmah, “ very extensively cultivated ” in Tavoy for its crude sap or toddy, which is boiled down
into sugar, its leaves also used for thatching.
Eurycles Amboinensis of the Eastern portion of the Malayan archipelago. A fragrant white-
flowering bulb called in Burmah “ la-men ” (Mason) ; in Tagalo “ catongal,” in Bisaya “ catangal ”
or “ abur ” or “ panabor ” or “ tonuar ” or “ talaonor ” or “ dausun ” (Blanco), and from early times
employed medicinally : — known to grow on Amboyna (Pers.) ; observed by Blanco in the sand of
the seashore of the Philippines, its root used by the natives as emetic and purgative. Westward,
was observed by Mason v. 431 to 807 “ e.xotic” in Burmah, cultivated by the natives for ornament.
Transported to Europe, the “ pancratium amboinense” is described by Rudbeck elys. ii. 238. f. 17,
and Linnæus (Pers., and Steud.).
Pacliyma tuber-regiiim of the Moluccas. A tuberculated underground fungus large as the fist
or even a child’s head and called on Java “ djamor bonkang,” by the Malays “ uba radja ” or “ culat
batu,” on Amboyna “ ulathatu ” (Lindl.), and from early times employed medicinally : — observed by
Rumphius 120 pl. 57 on Amboyna; and used in the medicine of Eastern nations against diarrhoea,
pains in the face, fevers, etc. (Fries ii. 243, and Lindl.).
27
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