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“...PLANTS
of the
COAST OF COROMANDEL;
selected from
DRAWINGS AND DESCRIPTIONS
presented to
THE HON. COURT OF DIRECTORS OF THE
EAST INDIA COMPANY.
BY
WILLIAM ROXBURGH, M.D.
published, by their order, under the direction
OF
SIR JOSEPH BANKS, BART.
p. r. s.
VOL. I.
london:
printed by w. bulmer and co.
for george nicol, bookseller to his majesty,
PALL-MALL.
1795....”
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“...greatly promoted by a foreign naturalist.
John Gerard Koenig, a native (it is believed) of Courland, and a pupil of Linnaeus, contemporary
with the late Dr. Solander, had early distinguished himself, by his travels into Iceland,*in the year 1765/
and was honoured by having a plant named after him.
The precise time of,his setting out for India is not known, but it was probably in 1768 ; as in a letter
to Linn^us, dated from Tranquebar, July 26, 1769, he refers to another letter written more than thr^p
months before, which is not found among a number of his letters from India, now in the possession or
Dr. James Edward Smith. ^ \
It appears that he went to India under the protection of the king of Denmark, partly as physician
to the Danish settlement in the Carnatic, but chiefly for the purpose of making improvements in the
natural history of that country; and he resided for several years at Tranquebar, or in its \ficinity, inde-
fatigabb j ^aployed in researches of various kinds. .
KSfiig w...”
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“...intention of prosecuting Botany, he gave a large commission for books on that subject
from England; but they never reached him: for, being wounded, and taken prisoner, in the unfor-
tunate defeat of Colonel Baillie's detachment, in September, 1780, he died a short time after, universally
lamented.
Dr. Roxburgh, who entered into the service at Madras in the spring, 1766, had long applied to
Botany, under Dr. Hope, then professor of Botany at the university of Edinburgh; and bringing ^vith
him to India the love of the study, he found in Koenig an experienced conductor through an unkxjfewn
wilderness. Their friendship continued to the last; and Dr. Roxburgh takes a pleasure in acknow-
ledging his obligations to his guide.
On a representation from Dr. Koenig to the Board of Madras, in 1778, that his finances were far
. < ... f
inadequate to the extensive schemes he had in contemplation, and that his salary from the Nabob was
irregularly paid, ihe Board, in consideration of his merit, was pleased...”
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“...the 12th.
SomLe dzvs before his death, he himself saw such papers as he was then in possession of, sealed up in
the presence of Dr. Roxburgh, by whom they were despatched to Sir Joseph Banks, and arrived safely;
'but those dispersed in different places, particularly at Tranquebar,, (among wdiich unfortunately was his
Ceylon Journal,) have hitherto not appeared, though Dr. Roxburgh and Dr. Russell did all in their
power in India to recover them.
Though these manuscripts contained many valuable descriptions and observations, there was nothing
* On Dr. Russell's leaving India, the cabinet containing the above collection, considerably augmented, was presented by
him to the Company, and deposited at the Presidency, with the approbation of the Governor in council.
4...”
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“...with Linnaeus, as well as with other eminent Botanists in
Europe, and several of his communications from India have been published in the Transactions of the
Societies of CQpenhagen and Berlin, or inserted in the works of Retzius, and other authors. A list of
such publications + was supplied by Mr. Dryander, whose aid has also been of material service in the
correction of descriptions, and in settling synonyma.
A few months after Koenig's death, Dr. Russell was nominated his successor; and allotted to Botany
whatever time he could spare from the investigation of Snakes and Fishes, in which he had been engaged
from the time of his arrival in India.
Considering it however as a public loss, if the design of Koenig should be entirely relinquished; and
conceiving that many descriptions and remarks would be found among his papers, whife drawings from
the living plants might be made in India, Dr. Russell resolved to attempt a work limited to the useful
plants of Coromandel; which, though perhaps...”
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“...liberality
offered, of superintending the publication.
The
writer of this Preface willingly undertook the part allotted him, in the absence of his friend
Dr. Roxburgh, on whom the task should naturally have devolved; but the Doctor is still labouring in
India; and, having lately been appointed Inspector of the Botanical Gardeij at Calcutta, may possibly
be induced to protract his stay in that country longer than he some time ago intended.
The foregoing narrative of the origin and progress of the present work, it is presumed, will not be
deemed impertinent. It pays a small tribute to the memory of Koenig, to whom Indian Botany stands
so highly indebted: it shows the disposition of the Honourable Court of Directors to promote science in
India; and produces an example for the encouragement of the Company's servants abroad, to dedicate
their leisure hours to useful research, as a means of recommendation to the notice of their superiors, as
well as of obtaining a well earned reputation in their...”
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“...greatly promoted by a foreign naturalist.
John Gerard Koenig, a native (it is believed) of Courland, and a pupil of Linnaeus, contemporary
with the late Dr. Solander, had early distinguished himself, by his travels into Iceland,*in the year 1765/
and was honoured by having a plant named after him.
The precise time of 1.lis setting out for India is not known, but it was probably in 1768 ; as in a letter
to LinnAus, dated from Tranquebar, July 26, 1769, he refers to another letter written more than thr^e
months before, which is not found among a number of his letters from India, now in the possession or
Dr. James Edward Smith. \
It appears that he went to India under the protection of the king of Denmark, partly as physician
to the Danish settlement in the Carnatic, but chiefly for the purpose of making improvements in the
natural history of that country; and he resided for several years at Tranquebar, or in its \ficinity, inde-
cr a-
fatigabb j ^aployed in researches of various kinds. -
fc&iiig...”
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“...notcfied, inserted into the
mouth of the calyx.
Filaments four, short, hairy, inserted into the calyx alternately with
the leaflets of the nectary.
Stigma four-lobed.
Berry globular, size of a large pea, smooth, juicy, black when ripe,
one-seeded.
This valuable tree is a native of many parts of India : here, in
the Circar mountains, where it is wild, it is but of a small size,
and the wood of little value. On the Malabar coast it is much
larger, and the wood reckoned of the best sort.
The wood of this tree is the white and yellow Sanders, Santa-
liim album et flavum of the Materia Medica ; both the sorts are the
produce of the same tree, and not, as Garcias says, of different trees.
Most trees in India* when, large and old, become coloured towards
the centre, that part is always much more hard and durable than the
exterior uncoloured part. It is the same with the Sandal tree: the
centre, when the tree becomes large, acquires a yellow colour, great
fragrance, and hardness ; while the exterior...”
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“..., angles
obtuse.
Bracts opposite, lanced, two at each subdivision.
Flowers small, white, very numerous, fragrant.
Calyx and Corol as described in the Supplementum Plantarum,
only ofteney six than five-cleft.
JVectary very small, often wanting,
Stamens oftener six than five.
Stigma two-cleft: divisions obtuse, spreading.
Drupe within the enlarged inflated dry calyx, obtusely four-sided,
woolly, spongy, dry.
Mit exceeding hard, four-celled.
This most useful tree is a native of various parts of India, viz. of
the mountainous part of the Malabar and Coromandel coasts, of the
5. STRYCHNOS POTATORUM.
Linn. SuppL 148....”
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“...therefore particularly fit for furniture,
gun carriages, &c. where small timber is wanted. For ship building
the teke is reckoned superior to any other sort of wood, being light,
strong, and very durable, either in or out of the water. Pegu pro-
duces the largest quantity, the large rivers there enable the natives to
bring it down to the sea ports from the interior mountainous parts
of the country, where it grows, at a cheap rate, which enables them
to sell it lower than ih any other*part of India.
C ______
7. CEROPEGIA BULBOSA.
' ' - C '
Manchy Mandu of the Telingas.
Root bulbous, solid, a little flattened, with several fibres from it base,
size of a small turnip.
Stem twining, herbaceous, smooth, succulent, from two to four feet
long. c
Leaves opposite, short petioled, obverse-egged, with a small point;
entire, fleshy; size various.
Umbellets lateral, length of the leaves, peduncled, few-flowered, di-
rection various.
Flowers pretty large, erect: tube greenish, border purple.
Calyx below...”
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“...made
them famous; this juice is of a pale milk colour, till perfectly
ripe, when it becomes black.
Male flowers on a separate tree, they are smaller than the herma-
phrodite.
Calyx and Corol, as in the hermaphrodite.
Filaments five, the length of the petals.
Anthers much larger than in the hermaphrodite.
Pistil none ; but in its place a semiglobular hairy glandulous body.
A large tree, bearing male flowers on one, and hermaphrodite on
another. It is a native of all the mountainous parts of India. Flower-
ing time July and August. Seed ripe in January and February.
The wood of this tree is reckoned of no use, not only on account
of its softness, but also on account of its confining much acrid juice,
which renders it dangerous to cut down and work upon. The fleshy
receptacles on which the seed rests, are roasted in the ashes, and
eat by the natives; their taste is exceedingly like that of roasted
apples; before they are roasted, they taste adstringent and acrid,
leaving a painful sensation...”
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“...in it are always fee rudiments of eight seed*!.
Style awled.
Stigmagenerally a little ragged.
Berry oval, size and shape of an olive, generally one-seeded.
Seedovzl, compressed, smooth, shining, chesnut-coloured.
I have only once found this in its wild state, it was on the moun-
tains in the Rajahmundry Circar, where it grows to be a middle sized
tree. On account of its fragrant flowers it is universally planted in
the gardens of the natives, as well as in those of all the European
nations in India. It flowers chiefly during the hot season.
The flowers are sacred to the Hindoo gods.
15. MIMUSOPS EIEXANDRA.
Palla of the Telingas.
Trunk erect; frequently when old it has large rotten excavations.
Bark ash-coloured.
Branches numerous, spreading, extremities nearly erect, forming a
large shady head.
Leaves alternate, petioled, broad, wedge-form, or inverse-hearted,
deeply end-nicked, very hard, both sides a deep shining green,
three to five inches long, and one and a half or two broad.
Petiole...”
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“...in it are always fee rudiments of eight seecfe.
Style awled.
Stigmagenerally a little ragged.
Berry oval, size and shape of an olive, generally one-seeded.
Seed oval, compressed, smooth, shining, chesnut-coloured.
I have only once found this in its wild state, it was on the moun-
tains in the Rajahmundry Circar, where it grows to be a middle sized
tree. On account of its fragrant flowers it is universally planted in
the gardens of the natives, as well as in those of all the European
nations in India. It flowers chiefly during the hot season.
The flowers are sacred to the Elindoo gods.
Trunk erect; frequently when old it has large rotten excavations.
Bark ash-coloured.
Branches numerous, spreading, extremities nearly erect, forming a
large shady head.
Leaves alternate, petioled, broad, wedge-form, or inverse-hearted,
deeply end-nicked, very hard, both sides a deep shining green,
three to five inches long, and one and a half or two broad.
Petiole round, one or one and a half inch long.
Peduncles...”
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“...This very valuable tree I lately discovered to be a native of that
chain of mountains which separates the Circars from the Berar
Rajah's dominions, where it grows to be a very large tree. Flowers
during the wet season. Seed ripe in January and February.
This tree is by no means common on this coast, and it is only
among the aboxementioned mountains that I have found it wild.
It is also a native of the south-west frontier of the Bengal province,
and probably of many other parts. The markets over India are
supplied with wood from Siam, and the Malay countries to the east-
ward. I have some thousands of young trees about the Company's
pepper plantations, which thrive well, and in the course of a few
years will be fully as large as what is generally met with at market,
although, like others of this nature, the colour of the wood improves
by age, and ought therefore to be left till the colour has attained to
its utmost degree of perfection. The uses of this wood in dying are
numerous throughout...”
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