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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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“...PREFACE.
*
The present Fasciculus of Plants growing on the Coast of Coromandel, being the first of a.progressive
work, with which the Honourable Court of Directors of the East India Company has determined to
favour the public, it is hoped, will prove as acceptable to the lovers of Botany in general, as useful
at the Company's establishments abroad.
It is intended that the selection should be made from five hundred drawings and descriptions, pre-
sented to the Honourable Court of Directors by Dr. William Roxburgh, one of the Company's medical
servants, and their Botanist in the Carnatic; and, with a more immediate view to utility, while
preference will be given to subjects connected either with medicine, the arts, cy: manufactures, the
liberality o.f the# Jdonourable Court of Directors encourages the admission of new plants, or of such
as have hitherto been imperfectly described, although their qualities and uses may as yet remain
unexplored.
After all that has been already done, India still...”
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“...PREFACE.
He soon after, m that year, made a short excursion to Trinkamaly; and early in the following year
he made a second excursion to Columbo.
In the beginning of June, 1782, Dr. Patrick Russell, on his arrival in India, had the pleasure of
meeting with Dr. Koenig at Tranquebar, who not only communicated the catalogue of his Coromandel
collection of plants, but as an inducement to engage in Indian Botany, favoured him with a number
of specimens. From that time commenced a correspondence, which was continued till within a fort-
night of Dr. Koenig's death.
In 1784, Roenig fulfilled the promise he had given of a visit to his old friend Mr. Claud Russell,
then chief at Vizagapatam. It was on his way to Bengal; but as he made some stay at Vizagapatam,
Dr. Russell had time to submit to his examination a pretty large collection of plants made in that
district, and to profit by his assistance in arranging them/ He took the opportunity also off urging to
Dr. Koenig, (what lie had more than once...”
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“...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 less generally interesting to the Botanists in Europe, he
was inclined \o think might prove of real service to India.
His plan was first communicated to the Governor of Madras, but afterwards explained more fully in
a memorial addressed to the Medical Board; and meeting with the unanimous approbation of both, it
was transmitted to the Honourable Court of Directors.
In the interim, circular letters, with a list of the plants proposed for the first publication, was tsent...”
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“...PREFACE
The present Fasciculus of Plants growing on the Coast of Coromandel, being the first of a.progressive
work, with which the Honourable Court of Directors of the East India Company has determined to
favour the public, it is hoped, will prove as acceptable to the lovers of Botany in general, as useful
at the Company's establishments abroad.
It is intended that the selection should be made from five hundred drawings and descriptions, pre-
sented to the Honourable Court of Directors by Dr. William Roxburgh, one of the Company's medical
servants, and their Botanist in the Carnatic; and, with a more immediate view to utility, while
preference will be given to subjects connected either with medicine, the arts, qr manufactures, the
liberality o/the# JHonourable Court of Directors encourages the admission of new plants, or of such
as have hitherto been imperfectly described, although their qualities and uses may as yet remain
unexplored.
After all that has been already done, India still presents...”
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“...generally fascicles of smaller leaves.
Stipules connecting, ciliated.
Flowers terminal, small, white, very numerous, the whole forming
a large umbell, composed of small three-cleft umbellets.
Bracts minute, awled.
The parts of fructification agree exactly with those of the genus.
This is a small biennial, rarely triennial plant, it grows in very
light dry sandy ground near the sea. Flowers during the latter part
of the wet season ; seed ripe in January .
Itris much cultivated on the coast of Coromandel, and grows best
in the purest and lightest sand, there its roots descend to a great
depth. Cattle are penned upon the ground for some time before it
is sown, to manure it, or some other manure employed, generally
the lightest; it is then'cleared of weeds, and its surface made level,
if not so before. The seeds are mixed with much sand, and sown as
soon as the rains begin in June or July (that is in the Circars); the
sand is mixed with the seed to enable 'the sower to sow it suffi-
ciently thin;...”
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“...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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