Plumeria rubra L.

FLORA OF KWANGTUNG
OÌ^{k tU, 'jyZoAiU&U# Ol-,
9&0
Plum^eria.
The Spaniards took thlft small succulent tree fromAjexico
to the Philippine islands at an early date, and with it
an Aztec name* It was in Amboina in Rumpffs time, "but how
it reached that island in uncertain. The date at which it
reached India, and by what cqjrse it travelled, are unrecorded;
bjit it was thoroughly established there during the eighteen!
century, and as it had "been brought to Europe long before
this, it isnot unlikely that was taken to India in more than
one way*
It chief name"s through Malaysia are of three groups
(l) to Ternate and Celebes the Aztec-Philippine name
spreads in a slightly changed form? v2) through most of
the islands it is named from its scent, either after
Michelia or after Jasminum: (3) it has two geographic names
one with its centre in Java in bunga kamboja, andthe other
in Bali in bunga japun (Japanese flower) This thitd group
recognises its introduction from abroad, while the first
points distinctly to its origin.
Rumpf writing between 1681, whijth date is actually given
in his account of this plant and 1692 when he closed
%
his work, recognised the tree as foreign to Malaysia, and
from the name "kamboja11 said that it had apparently
come from ^ambodia, and that the Chinese had brought it to
Ternate, though others said that it had come from ^anila.
As it was already wide-spread in his time , it had pro-
bably been carried backwards and forwards,particularly by
the Chinese, wht would wee in the vitality of its
fleshy stems an emblem of life.	,
LtUA	G
$jte Spaniards may have^takej! it across the Pacific as
an ornamental tree, but it is more probable that the^took it
because it was medicinal.Hernandez had, for instance,written
of it as used by the Indians fee sHin complaints and
intermittent fevers, and for dispersing dropsies ^ pUrging
Det. A. J. M. Leeuwenberg, 19 JZiL- Herbarium Vadense (WAG)
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
04201662
BOTANICAL
A R D
ft"
+ m X & jft m » *
iberbaiium of College of agriculture
San Yatsen University, Canton
Plumljjeia acuminata Ait.
»	Herb. Ao.
(acutifolia PoiK)
Determined by :
2576 Y.TsiajDg
Pon-tan, Luichow,
Kwangtung Prov.
June 1929
04201662