( 126 ) V. An Inquiry into the Genus of the Tree called by Pona Abelicea cretica. By James Edward Smith, M.D. F.R.S. P.L.S. Read March 18, 1806. Botanists in investigating the tropical climates, have found there a copious harvest of arborescent plants, whose profusion, splendour and importance have, in a great measure, diverted their attention from the more diminutive and less ostentatious tribes of vegetables. On the other hand those situated in less luxuriant regions, have, in bending the chief part of their atten-tion to the minute and intricate plants of sucli countries, too often slighted the apparently few and easy ones which were pre-sumed to require little scientific examination. Hence we have been made acquainted with but a small part of the mosses, lichens, or other unornamental plants of hot countries, while the trees of cold ones have experienced a similar kind of neglect. I speak, however, in general terms only; for the curious and am-ple discoveries of a Swartz and a Menzies afford an exception to the former part of my position, as the labours of an Ehrhart do to the latter. Some allowance indeed is to be made for the difficulties of studying the species of Populus, Sali.i, Betula, Ulmiis, Sac. arising from the different seasons of their flowering and leafing, as well as their sexual differences. On the same o-round I would apologize for those naturalists who have, since the days of Pona and Clusius, visited Crete without taking any notice of their Abelicea, or Bastard Sandal-wood, a tree which 1 though
BioStor
