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134
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
Crinum.
m "ill
dance as to render it readily multiplied. Leaves sparse, sheathing, lanceolate, straight and smooth, margins also smooth ; points blunt, deeply concave on the upper sur- face ; held between the eye and the light they are beau- tifully striated with numerous, simple, straight, longitudi- nal lines, and between these, tessellated with transverse, green veins; from three to six feet long, and from three to six inches broad about the middle, which is the broadest part. Scape from the stem immediately below the leaves about three or four feet long, much compressed, particu- larly on the inside, and about as thick as a man's thumb. Umbel from twenty to thirty-flowered. Involu- cre of two large, long, cordate, reflexed, coloured exterior leaves ; with numerous filaments mixed among the flow- ers. Flowers very large, pedicelled, rose-coloured, de- lightfully fragrant ; tube obscurely three-sided, about five or six inches long, deeply coloured ; segments of the bor- der equally disposed, linear-lanceolate,revolute,as long as, or longer than the tube, deep rose colour on the outside, pale pink within, apices alternately uncinate. Germ in- ferior, oblong, three-celled, with a few ovula in each, at- tached to a fleshy receptacle, which appear to originate in the centre, from the axis, but their real insertion is in- to the walls of the Germ. Style declinate, the length of the deeply coloured, equally incurved, slender filaments. Stigma small, perforated, and obscurely three-lobed.
The ripe seed vessel has not yet been found ; they have continued abortive in Bengal.
9. C. toxicarium. R.
Caulescent. Leaves sparse, lanceolar. Flowers pedi- celled, numerous, even as far as sixty in a hemispheric umbel. Capsules with one or more bulbiform seeds.
Crinum asiaticum. Bot. Mag. N. 1073, has the exact leaf of this species.
Radix toxicaria. Rumph. Amb. 6. var.lst.p. '[55. t. 69.
>vn^ j^/fe.¥ *\'*t« » 1* J* feV'r i.
,. ::^„r%.^' . ^K h k k * y^' * ■ 1; i, u 1, S^
(if
Crinum.
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
135
Beng. Buru-kanoor.
Cing. Tolabo.
I have only found it in gardens; where it is indip;enous I cannot say, in Ceylon I believe. Floiveriiig time the wet season, though more or less the whole year.
S(em short, but distinct, and stout. Leaves linear-lan- ceolar, very smooth ; margins most entire ; under side ele- gantly striated length-ways with deeper and lighter green; from three to four feet long, and from five to se- ven inches broad. Scapes axillary, shorter than the leaves, smooth, a little compressed, as thick as a man's thumb. Flowers numerous, often fifty, growing in a he- mispherical umbel, white, almost inodorous. Spathe two-valved, with filiform bractes mixed among the flowers. Stigma small, entire, three-sided. Berries round- ish, the size of a large pigeon's e^'^, smooth, crowned with the lower part of the remaining tube of the corol, seldom more than one-celled, without any natural opening, and containing one or more large, bulb-like, rugose, firm fleshy seeds ; though in the germ there are the rudiments of three cells with many seeds in each.
Its immense large, beautiful, smooth, deep green leaves, make it conspicuous and desirable in the Flow- er Garden.
This plant has hitherto been blended with Crinum asi- aticum, though no two species of liliaceous plants, of the same genus, can be more strongly marked, not only by the size, shape of the leaves, and number, &c, of the flow- ers in the umbel, but still more strongly by Toxicaria, being caulescent ; and the other most perfectly desti- tute of every appearance of a stem. It ought to be com- pared with Wilidciiow's Crinum bracteatum.
I
10. C. nervosum. Willd. 2 47. >
Leaves reniform-cordate, many-nerved. Spathes many flowered.
J/^ '^ .
FLORA INDICA;
OR,
DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIAN PLANTS.
BY THE LATE
WILLIAM ROXBURGH, M. D. F. R. S. E.
ETC. ETC.
VOL. ir.
SERAMPORE:
PRINTED FOR W. THACKER AND CO. CALCUTTA,
AND
PARBURY, ALLEN AND CO. LONDON. 1832.
-\- o^^ :>^i
CONTENTS.
CLASS V.
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA I
DIGYNIA 27
TRIGYNIA 98
PENTAGYNIA 107
CLASS VI,
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA 114
DIGYNIA
TRIGYNIA
HEXAGYNIA
CLASS vn.
HBPTANDRIA MONOGYNIA
CLASS VIII.
OCTANDRIA MONOGYNIA .
TRIGYNIA ...
TETRAGYNIA
CLASS IX.
ENNEANDRIA MONOGYNIA HEXAGYNIA
200
208 215
217
221
285 293
295 315
CONTENTS. VI
CLASS X.
DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA •• 316
. DIGYNIA 444
TRIGYNIA 446
■ — PENTAGYNIA 450
DECAGYNIA 458
CLASS XL
DODECANDRIA MONOGYNIA 459
TRIGYNIA 465
CLASS XIL
ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA 475
DIGYNIA 509
PENTAGYNIA 510
POLYGYNIA 512
CLASS XIIL
POLYANDRIA MONOGYNIA 521
TETRA6YNIA 645
PENTAGYNIA 646
POLYGYNIA 646
FLORA INDICA.
CLASS V.
PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
FINK A. Schreb. gen. N. 419. Corol funnel-shaped. Follicles two, erect. Seeds nak- ed. Embryo inverse, and furnished with a perisperm.
\.V. rosea. Willd.l. 1233.
Perennial, erect, ramous. Flowers in pairs, sessile. Leaves ovate -oblong, base of the petiole two-toothed.
Hind. Gool-fering.
Obs. Both the red and white varieties are common in gardens over India, and in flower great part of the year. 1 have never found it in its native siate.
2. V parviflora. Wilhl. I. 1234. Retz. Obs 2. N. 33. Annual. Leaves lanceolate ; flowers in pairs. Mouth of the tube contracted, and shut with hiirs. ^ Cupa-veela, Wieed. Mai. 9. t. 33.
Vinka pulsilla, Linn. Sitppl. 1C6.
A small, erect, annual, ramous plant; a native of opf n,
c* fertile, cultivated lands. Flowers during the wet se:isou.
^"^ Stem erect, smooth, branchy, four sided ; angles acute.
5 from six to twelve inches high. Leaves oppwsito, si)ort-
petioled, lanceolate, entire, smooth ; about tw o inches and
2 PBNTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Nerium.
ahalf lon<?, and three-fourths of an inch broad. Stipules subulate. Flowers axillary, in pairs, small, white, short- peduncled. Corol, mouth of the tube contracted, and shut with hair. Nectarial corpuscles as in the family.
NERIUM. Schreh. gen. N. 420.
Corol funnel-shaped ; mouth of the tube variously crowned. Germ tno-cclled ; cells many-seeded, attach- ment interior. Follicles two. Seeds many, c omose. Em- bryo inverse, (sub-convolute, or expanded.)
1. N. odorum. Wilkl. 1. 1215.
Leaves linear-lanceolate, tern. Segments of the calyx erect. Nectaries many cleft divisions filiform.
Sans. Karavira, vide Asiat. Researches, 4. 265.
Beng. K«rwbee, l'//ktrt Kj^rwbee (the red variety), Sweta KMr?djee (the white variety), Pwdnirt Kwrwbee the double variet\ ).
Hind. Lall-Karpud, (the single rose-coloured), SufTet or Shwet Karpud (single white), Padmu-Karpud (the double variety.)
Belutta-areli, Hheed Mai. 9. t. 2.
Tsjovanna-areli, Rheed. Mai. i). t. 1.
Common in gardens in every part of India, and in flower the whole year.
2. N. coccioeum. R.
Arboreous. Leaves sul)-sessile, ovate-oblons;, entire, apex alternate. Flowers terminal, three or four; necta- riurn acetabuliform. Follicles linear, rough.
PwllMm, the vernacular name in Silhet.
A native of the eastern frontier of Bengal, beyond the mouth of the Megna, ironi thence introduced by R. K. Dick, Esq. into the Botanic garden at Calcutta, where it blossoms in April . In its native soil it grows to be a large
Nerium. pentandria monogynia. 3
timber tree; the wood white, remarkably light, but Thmi, and much used by Turners to make palkees, &,c. where lif;ht, strong wood is required.
Stem (ill phints six or seven years old) short, but straight, and to the base decorated with numerous patent branches and branchlets. Bark of the ligneous pairs ash- coloured and smooth ; whole height from six to ten feet. Lactescent. Leaves opposite, very short-petioled, bifa- rious, ovate oblong, entire, long, taper-pointed, smooth on both sid< s, dark green, from two to six inches long, and from one to two and a half broad. Stipules, sosne short bristles in the axill of the leaves. Flowers terininal, soli- tary, tern, twice tern, or more, with one in the forks, short peduncled, and pedicelled, large, of a deep, but ra- ther dull red. Bractes opposite, lanceolate, waved. Calyx divided to the base into five, nearly equal, sub- cordate, smooth .segments, with somewhat waved mar- gins. Corol ; tube very short, fleshy, sub-campanulate. Border divided into five, obliquely obovate, thick, tough segments, soon after expansion they become revolute. Nectarium five-lobed ; crimson-coloured ; lobes with rounded, somewhat crenulate margins, and firmly unit- ed to the base of the segments of the corol. Filaments very short and thick, inserted on the nmuth of the tube of the corol, w ithin the nectary. Anthers sagittate, united and forming a conic dome over the stigma. Germ two- lobed; each lobe one-celled, with numerous seeds at- tached to the incurved margins of tlie suture on the in- side. Style cylindric. Stiyma with two-lobed apex. Follicles two, linear, about as thick as the little finger, and nearly tvNclve inches long, olive-coloured, but ren- dered rough with elevated white specks. .S'eeJs numer- ous, imbricated, linear-lanceolar, with very ample coma, pointing to the base of the follicle. Integuments two, the exterior one rather thick; the interior one a thin membrane adhering to the embryo. Perisperm none
\ 2
4 PENTANDRIA MONCGYNIA. Nerium.
Embryo inverse ; cotyledons triangularly convolute. Ra- dicle c}lindric. superior (pointing from the coma to the apex of the follicle.) The whole almost exactly as in Gtsrtners Nerium Zeylanicum, 2. p. 172. f. 117.
3 N. tinctorum. R.
Arboreous. Ze«i'es opposite, ovate-oblong. Panicles terminal. Follicles pendulous, very long, united at the apex.
Nerium indicum, &c. Biirm. Zeijl. 167. t. 77.
Telinga. Chite-ancalloo.
A middling-sized tree, agreeing perfectly in its botani- cal character \vith Nerium of the Linncean sexual system, and from the quality of its leaves I have called it {Neri- um) tinctorum, Dyer's rose bay, for to n.e it seems a new species ; at least it is not taken notice of by Linnce- us, nor by his son in his last Botanical puldication, the Suppkmeiifum Plantarmn published in 1781. It comes nearest Nerium antidys; nterinm, the tree which yields the Conessi bark of our Materia Medica Cadaga-paJa of the H rtas Makibaricus Pala Cadija of the Tcliiigas. They are bot!» natives of fhe lower reuion of those mountains which bound the Rajaniundry Circar on the north side,and are so much alike in most respects, (the Nectarium ex- cepted ) that \Aithout a tolerable knowledge of both, the one may be mistaken for tlie other; and 1 have no doubt but the bark of the Nerium may have been gathered and sold for Conessi bark, to which I attribute the disrepute that has fallen upon Conessi bark in Europe ; for with the natives of most part of India it is deemed a specific in most coi'.iplaints of the bowels. And I am inclined to think it deserves a better name than it has hitherto ac- quired amongst Europeans.
Trunk very irregular in shape, when very old it is from one and a half to two feet in diameter, but when of. that size, it is full of large, rotten cavities ; its height to
Nerium. penta.ndria monogynia. 5
the branches when lar^e, is from ten to fifteen feet; the bark of the old wood is scabrous, of the young pretty smooth, and ash-coloured. Wood remarkably white, close-<?rained, very beautiful coming nearer to Ivory in appearance than any other I know. i?r«/ic/tes irregular- ly disposed, beini^ bent in various directions ; small branches opposite. Leaves numerous, opposite, short- petioled, oval-pointed, pretty smooth, entire, pale green; when full «;rown from six to ten inches long, and from three to four broad. Stipules none. Flowers about an inch and a half in diameter, when fully expanded per- fectly white, fragrant, disposed on lax globular panicles at the extremities of the branches. Bractes a small oval one below each sub-division of the panicle. Calyx di- vided into five equal semi-orbicular, permanent segments. Carol one-petalled. Tube short, somewhat gibbous. Border large, divided into five, oblique, linear-oblong, spread insi segments. Nectarhim, many ramous, white fi- laments crowning the mouth of the tube of the corol, (no nectary in the Conessi bark tree.) Filaments five, very short, ri;L;id, inserted just within the mouth of the tube, and within the nectarium. Anthers arrow-shaped, rigid, united to one another laterally, forming a very firm, co- nical cover for the stigma, their lower parts inwardly are covered ^^ith tine white hairs. Germ two, seemingly united. -Style the lentrth of the tube. Stigma double, co- vered with transparent gluten, by which it adheres to the inside of the anthers. Follicles two, very long, slender, pendul()us, united at both ends singly, they are from twelve to twenty inches long; and about as thick as a common pencil. Seeds numerous, long, slender, crown- ed with down, like the seed of the common thistle. Em- bryo inverse, without peri.sperm, and the cotyledons roll- ed up in a compound manner between involute and con- volute.
06.9. This tree as 1 o'oserved before, is a native of the
8 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Nerium.
which the natives of tlic country where tlic plant throws, use as a subsfitnte for hemp. In steepinij; some of the younf? shoots in a fish pond in order to accelerate the removal of the bark, and cleanins: the fibres, many, if not the whole of the fish were killed, hence the specific name.
Stem and larger branches lif^neous, and ramble to a vast extent. Young shoots lon^r, round and smooth. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, o'ulongf, taper-obtuse jointed, entire, firm and lucid; about six inches long, by two broad. Panicles terminal, sub-globular ; C(>mposed ola few pairs of brachiate, short, few flowered branches ; all are round and suiooth. Flowers many, larpe. pale yellow, salver-shaped. Bractes oblong, rather (btuse, and small. Calyx five-leaved. Leaflets ovate, smooth. Tube of the corol larger than the five obliquely trapcziform segments of its border, tibbous in the middle where the stamina are lodged. Nectarium consists of five bifid, villous seg- ments, rising from the five fissurss of the border of the co- rol, round the mouth of its tube. Gertn two-lobed, two- celled, with numerous ovula in each, attached to an eleva- tion down the centre of the partition. Style scarce half the length of the tube. Stigma lar!.e, with contracted lifid apex. Follicles ovate-oblong, while fresh very large, by being much inflated or pufled, smooth, obtuse, greenish yellow when ripe. Seed many, thin, oval, >\ith broad membranaceous margin, crowned. Integuments two; ex- terior, soft, smooth, light brown ; interior, rather fleshy while the seeds are recent. Perisperm no other than the interior integuments of the seed. Embryo inverse ; co- tyledons round-cordate, strongly marked with veins. Ra- dicle cylindric, superior.
C). N. reticulatum. R.
Shrubby, twining. X^aves oblong, smooth. Tymes ax- illary. Nectarial scales five, wedge-shaped.
Nerium. pentendria monogynia. 9
Kalli-pal-valli. Rheed. Mai 9. t. 11.
Apocyimm reticulatum. B. 11.
Teling. Adivi pala-tiga.
Hind. Karwnta.
A large twining shrub, a native of hedges, thickets, &c. Flowering time the rainy season, abounds with milky juice.
Leaves opposite, short-petioled, obovate, or oblong, en- tire, smooth, very pale underneath ; with numerous, small, reticulated veins running through every part, from three to six inches long. Cymes axillary, many times shorter than the leaves, and short peduncled, many-flowered. Flowers small, yellow. Calyx five-parted; division short, ovate. Corol ; tube very short, gibbous ; divisions of the border linear-lanceolate. Nectary five wedge-form- ed scales, inserted on, or rather in the mouth of the tube. Stamens within the tube, below the nectarial scales. Style short. Stigma peltate, five sided. Follicles lance- olate, horizontal, about three inches long.
7. N. chinensis, Hunter,
Shrubby, with erect, dichotomous branches. Leaves sub-sessile, ovate-lanceolate, smooth. Peduncles terminal, becoming lateral, or in the forks of the branches, few-flow- ered. Segments of the corol narrow, and end ensiform. Stamina in the base of the tube-
A native of China. In one garden on Pulo-penang Dr. Hunter found it in blossom in July.
I can find no nectarial crown on the tube of the corol, hence I suspect it to be an Echites. ^
8. N. caudatum, R.
Shrubby, scandent. Leaves oblong, smooth. Cymes ieX"
mmdi\. Segment oi ihe corol ending in long, filiform points.
A large climbing shmb, a native of the mountainous
B
10 PENTENDRIA MONOGYNIA. Nerium.
parts of the Coast, bark ash-coloured with scabrous specks.
Leaves opposite, short-petioled, oval, waved, smooth, shiniui^. Corymbs terminal, two-forked. Bractes nar- row-lanceolate> revolutc. Flowers large, pretty numer- ous. Calyx five-cleft ; divisions linear, w aved, revolute, coloured, very much like the bractes. Corol ; tube con- tracted at the middle, each of the segments of the border endin^^ in a large linear filament, as in Echites caudala. Nectary crowning the mouth of the tube as in the famil^ i4wf/iers within the tube, and ending in filaments as in the genus. Germs two. Style length of the tube, white, rugose as if it were composed of small air bladders.
I know of no u.se any part of this plant is put to. If Burman's Echites caudata is the same, the nectary, and threads to the anthers, arc omitted in his figure, Flora In- dica Table 26. Is allied to De Candoll's Strophanthus.
9. IV. grandiflorum, R.
Shrubby, twining. Leaves oblong, polished. Flowers ter- minal. Nectaries bifid. Follicles three-sided horizontal.
A native of the Peninsula of India. In the botanic garden at Calcutta it is in flower great part of the year though the seeds do not often come to maturity.
Stem stout, and woody. Bark smooth, greenish ash co- lour. Branches twining up and over trees of very consi- derable size,every part abundantly lactescent when wound- ed. Leaves opposite, short petioled, oblong, entire, obtu- se-pointed, polished on both sides; underneath minutely re- ticulated, about three inches long, by one and a half broad. Flowers terminal, from one to many, forming a dichoto- mous raceme with one in the fork, very large, pale pink. Bractes conically-lanceolate, opposite, caducous. Calyx five-leaved. Leaflets oval-lanceolate, with ample, thin curled margins. Corol campanulate, half five-cleft. Nec- taries five, not alternate with, but attached to the tube of
Echites. pentandria. monogynu. H
the corol immediately above the stamina ; each divided in- to two long, lilifonii, coloured segments. Filaments short, inserted ou the contracted base of the tube of the corol. Anthers cordate, incurved in form of a dome over the stig- ma. Germs two, one-celled, each containing many ovula attached to a large projecting fleshy receptacle on the in- side. Style at the base double and coalescing into one body near the top. Stigma single, large, globular, with the vertex two-toothed, and five glands round the side, which are firmly attached to the inside of the five anthers near their base, between these are five dark-coloured, spoon-shaped scales, which become detached by age. Follicles horizontal, three sided, with the angles sharp j tapering to a long, incurved, rather obtuse beak, ^
ECHITES.
I^By some accident the Generic Character of Ecliites, and the description of the three first species, viz. Antidysenterica, Tincto- ria, and Scholaris are wanting in my copy of Dr. Roxburgh's work; The two first of these are now removed to Wrightca, and the last to Alstonia. It is thought better to print the genus as it stands with this deficiency, than to insert a generic character of the ge- nus, and a description of the three species whicli would not he Dr. Roxburgh's. W. Caret/.']
4. E. caryophyllata, R.
Twining. Z«e«i;es ovate-cordate, pointed. C«/W2es termi- nal. Tube gibbous at top. Nectary tubular, five-toothed. Segments of the corol, triangular.
Sans. Malati. See. Asiat. Res. iv. 246.
Kemetti valli. Rheed. mal. ix. t. 13-5.
Compare with E. costata Willd.
This is a large twining shrub, a native of mountain- ous tracts only. It flowers during the wet season ; the flowers are delightfully fragrant, partaking much of the smell of cloves. Stem woody, twining, as thick as a man's
12 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. EcMteS.
leg. Bark dark rust-colour, with fissures and scabrous specks. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, ovate-cordate, pointed, entire. Petioles with the nerve and veins colour- ed red. Cymes terminal, sub-globular. Bracies falling. Flowers numerous, large, pure white, delightfully fra- grant. Calyx five-leaved, leaflets lanceolate, as long as the corol, somewhat coloured, on the outside a little downy. Corol; fw&e five-sided, gibbous; segments oi the border large, triangular. Nectary and pistillum as in other species. Follicles cylindric, spreading. Seeds a few, very large, crowned with down.
The delightful smell of the flowers of this plant, as well as their beauty, makes it highly deserving a place in the flower garden. On my arrival in Bengal I found it in a few gardens only.
5. 'E.frutescens, R.
Twining. Leaves oblong, pointed. Panicles terminal ; segments of the corol long twisted and hairy ; tube gib- bous above the middle. Nectary of five headed filaments. Follicles linear.
A. floribus fasciculatis. Burm. zeyl. 23. 1. 12 f. 1.
Syama. Asiat. Res, iv. 261.
Beng. Syaraa-lwta.
Teling. Nalla-tiga.
This plant Dr. Konig thought was Apocymum frutes- cens of Linnceus. It is a large, ramous, twining, shrubby species ; common in hedges, &c.
Leaves opposite, short-petioled, oblong, or broad-lanceo- late, pointed, smooth, entire ; from one to t»vo inches long. Panicles terminal ; ramifications opposite. Flowers small, white, inodorous. Corol. Tube gibbous where the stamens are lodged ; mouth contracted, and shut with hairs ; segments o£ the border linear, twisted hairs. iViec- tary five subulate bodies with large recurved heads, sur- rounding the germs. Style single, of a length sufficient to
Echites. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNlA. 13
brinjEj the large, compound Stigma in contact with the anthers. Follicles and seeds as in the grenus.
(). E. macropliylla, R,
Shrubby, twining. Leaves sub-rotund acuminate, dow- ny underneath. Cymes terminal.
Belutta-kaka-kodi. Rheed. mal. ix. t. 5 and 6, Ilarkee the vernacular name in S<lhet; where it is in- digenous. Flowering time the hot months of May and June ; the seeds do not ripen until the following March or April. Stem and larger branches ligneous, twining, young shoots marked with little elevated brown specks. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, from oval to roundish oval, entire, acute, downy underneath ; from ten to twelve inches long by from seven to ten broad. Cymes termi- nal, elevated on a strong erect peduncle, many-flowered. Flowers very large, white. Bractes opposite, at the divisions of the cyme, ovate, acute. Calyx companu- late, five toothed. Corol infundibuliform. Tube gib- bous immediately above the base where the anthers are lodged; segments of the border unequally obovate, spread- ing. Filaments short, hairy. Anthers sagittate, united at the sides into a cone over the stigma. Germ superior, ovate, two-lobed, two-celled, with many ovula in each, attached to the thick middle ofthe partition. .S^i/Ze short, grooved, as if composed of two portions firmly united. Stigma headed, with an acute, bidentate apex. Follicles pendulous, about twelve inches long, and as thick as the little finger, tapering to an acute point, pretty smooth. Seeds numerous, large, spatulate ; coma ample, pointing to the apex of the follicle ; the reverse of Nerium cocci- num. Liteguments single, firm, and brown. Perisperm in a small quantity ; in fact an interior integument. Embryo inverse. Cotyledons oblong. Radicle subcylin- dric, superior, and pointing to the coma.
14 r C N T A N I) K 1 A , IM O N O G 'i N 1 A , ^7/ itCS.
cv^-u^^v/^V 7. E. gvaudijlova, U.
ScandcMit. jA'avcs cnnoato-obloni;. Cijmcs torminal, ami axillary. Lcajlcts oitho calvv-laiu-colar. wavoil, and colourod. (\)r()/ conipaimlato. Follicles linear.
A native of the hilly parts ol" Chittagorig and Silfiet, where it blossoms dating the dry season. The seeds take nearly one year to ripen.
iStiHi ai\d large branehes ligneons. and scanden^t to a very great extent, joung shoots villous. Leaves oppo- site, short-petioled, from oblong-cuneiform, to obovate- oblong, entire, apex lounded, >vi(h a short point; void of pnbcseenee. hard ; from six to eight inches long by from two to five broad. Ci/iiies axiUary. becoming lateral, short, fe\v-ilo\vered. all the parts thereof clothed with fer- ruginous down. Flourrs very large, equalling those o^ So- Jandra (jidiulijlora: greenish yellow. Hractcs oblong, co- loured and veiutd. (\////.v to the liase divided into li\e louii'. lanceolate, waved, acute, coloured, veined s;«- mcnts. Cciyo/campanulate; fto?(/cr expanding about live inches, and divided into tive oval, waved, rather actnni- nate. broad segments. Filaiiicnfs tive, nearly as lon^- as the corol, ascendinu in a gentle curve, smooth, inserted into the base oi the bell of the corol. Anthers sagittate, sides tirmly united, ibrming a conical cover for the stig- ma, to which they cohere. Genu two-lobcd, hairy, two-celled ; ovula numerous, attached to a jugiform receptacle in each cell, rising from the partition. Style leitgth oi' the stamina. Stigma large, clammy. Follicles horizontal, linear, obtuse, pretty smooth, the thickness of the little linger: points rather incurved, and obtuse ; from six to ten inches long. Seeds numerous, imliricated, ob- long, compressed, brown, comose ; coma very ample. I have rarely seen so large points to this apex of the folli- cles. Perisperm thin, li^ht grey. ENibri/o straigiit. Cotij" hdons oblong. Radicle long-cN lindric, superior.
EcJlites. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 15
8. E. acuminata , R.
Shrubby, scandent. Leaves Irom oblong to broad-lan- ceolate, acuminate. Panicles axillary, longer than the leaves, diffuse, trichotomous, segments of the corol linear and falcate. Follicles filiform, about eight inches long.
Pingoree, or Bcngeree the vernacular name in Silhet, where the plant is found in the forest, climbing up and over trees, &c. to a large extent. Flowering time May ; the seeds ripen in about nine months.
Young shoots rather rough with little, lighter coloured^ elevated specks. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, broad- lanceolate, entire, acuminate, smooth ; from two to four inches long, by one and a half broad. On young plants linear-lanceolate, and waved. P^/«ifVA'.s axillary, solita- ry in one axil, the other vacant, longer than tite leaves, lax, trichotomus throughout, smooth. Flowers many, large, white, and fragrant, ^rf/c^cs opposite, long, slen- der, and smooth. Calyx, large divided to the base, into live, long, narrow smooth segments. Corol. Tube the length of the calyx, enlarged at the base, the border cut in to five long, narrow, falcate, curled segments, which are imbricated in the bud. Nectary cup-shaped, embracing the base of the germs, obscurely five-toothed. Filaments five, short, attached to the tube a little below the middle. Anthers sagittate, completely within the mouth of the tube, Germs two, or very completely two lobed, each one- celled, containing numerous ovula, attached to a groov- ed vertical receptacle on the inside. Style half the length of the tube. /S'//</mf/ large, oblong, bidentate. Follicles pendulous about a foot and a half long, and not thicker than a goose quill, dark brown, marked with small lighter coloured specks. Seeds many, crowned with an am- ple coma, which points to the apex of the follicle. Pe" risperm scarcely any. Embryo inverse.
9. E. marginafa. It.
16 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. EcklteS,
Shrubby, scaudent. Leaves lanceolate ; an anasto- mosing vein near the margin. Panicles terminal, corym- bose.
Dood-h«ta the vernacular name in Silhet, where it is indigenous climbing up, and over trees &c. Flowering time April and May when the air is perfumed with its fragrance.
Leaves opposite, short-petioled, lanceolate, entire, smooth, veins large, apices anostomosing and forming a waved line within the margin ; from two to six inches long. P«wicZes terminal, longer than the leaves, lax, corymbi- form ; first ramifications opposite, i. e. subtrichotomous afterwards dichotomous ; all smooth. Bractes en^iform. Flowers many, large, white, fragrant. Calyx five- leaved ; leaflets ensiform. Tube of the corol gibbous at the base, the stamina lodged near the middle. Segments oftlie border five, linear, falcate. Nectary a ring round the base of the germ. Germ two-lobed ; ovula in each lobe numerous, attached to a projecting receptacle down the centre of the partition. Style half the length of the- tube of the corol. Stigma large, oblong, bidentate.
10. E, cymosa. R.
Shrubby, hairy. Leaves elliptic, acuminate. Cymes terminal, shorter than the leaves, crowded. Calyx five leaved, length of the corol. Nectary poculiform, with five-toothed mouth.
Kasee. Ewtaesbrab.
A native of the copses, or low jungle in the Silhet dis- trict, where it grows to be a middle sized, ramous shrub; flowering in May.
Young shoots hairy.
Leaves petioled, opposite, elliptic, acuminate, hairy, particularly underneath ; from three to four inches long, by from one and half to two and half broad. Cymes ter- minal, subglobular, much shorter than the leaves, crowd-
Echites, pentancria monogynia. 17
ed with small dull white, fragrant flowers. Bractes en- siform, hoary. Calyx of five, hoary, ensiform leaflets, scarcely united at the base, and as long as the tube of the corol, Corol hoary on the outside. Tube gibbous; bor- der of five, obliquely ensiform segments, which are shorter than the tube, and white in the bud, imbricated. Necta- ry poculiform, embracing very completely the whole germ ; mouth five-toothed. Anthers within the tube, sa- gitate. Germ of two distinct lobes, their apices very hairy, each lobe one-celled, and containing numerous o- vula attached to a vertical ridge on the partition. Style short. Stigma large, acuminate, adhering by gluten to the inside of the anthers.
8. E. paniculata, R.
Shrubby, scandent. Leaves broad-lanceolar, entire, smooth. Panicles axillary and terminal, trichotomous throughout. Nectary cup-shaped, surrounding the germ, five-toothed. Follicles obclavate, few-seeded.
An extensive, powerful, woody rambler ; a native of the forests of Silhet. Flowering in March and April, the seeds from the flowers of the former year ripening about the same time.
Young shoots round and perfectly smooth. Leaves op- posite, short-petioled, broad-lanceolar, smooth and of a very firm texture, entire, obtuse-pointed ; from four to eight inches long, and from one and a half to three broad. Stipules none. Panicles axillary, and terminal, long- er than the leaves, smooth in every part, throughout tri- chotomous to the extreme divisions, and they are three- flowered. Bractes oval, embracing the base of the divi- sions. Flowers very numerous, and very small, pale-yel- low. Calyx five parted. Corol with a short gibbous tube, and border of five, falcate, woolly-margined segments. Nectary cup-shaped, five-toothed, embracing the low- er half, or more, of the germ. Filaments short. Anthers
c
18 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. EchitCS.
saggitate, adhering to each other, in the gibbous part of the tube, and forming a dome over the stigma. Germs two-lobed, two celled, &c. Style very short. Stignia very large, with a pointed, bifid apex. Follicles horizon- tal, five or six inches long, as thick as the little finger at the base, and from thence tapering to an obtuse point, smooth. Seeds a few, with an immensely long and large coma to the apex and Embryo, as in the Asclepiadce.
9. E. hircosa, R.
Twining. Leaves petioled, oval, smooth. Panicles axillary, globular, and open. Anthers exert, a pearl like gland on the back.
Fergularia glabra. Willd. 1. 1247.
Tlos pei'gularia. Rnmph. amb. 51. 29./. 2.
A pretty extensive, perennial, twining shrub ; a native of Bengal, but scarce. The flowers are pretty white, larger and more numerous than in dichotoma, but have a very ofi'ensive smell, truly goatish, as noticed by Rum- phius. It flowers about the end of the hot season, and the beginning of the rains in May and June.
Leaves opposite, rather short-petioled, oval, somewhat pointed, entire, smooth ; from three to five inches long, and from two to three broad. Panicle axillary, shorter than the leaves, subglobular, very open, though very ramous, slightly villous. Flowers large, pure white, long pedicelled. Bractes from lanceolate to ensiform. Calyx 5-parted ; seg- ments sub-lanceolate, acute. Corol with a short, rather gib- bous tube. Border of several round spreading segments; which are imbricated in the bud. Nectary of five, fleshy, smooth scabs, covering the germ. Filaments five from the mouth of the tube, thick, and short. Anthers saggittate, forming a pointed cone over the stigma on the base ; on the outside a large, beautiful pearl-like gland. Germ hairy, two-lobed, 2 celled ; Ovula numerous, attached to an elevated vertical receptacle on the partition. Style long-
Echites. pentandria monogynia. 19
er than the tube of the corol, columnar. Stigma large, clammy, and adhering to the anthers, apex two-toothed,
13. E. dichotoma, JR.
Twining, ieave* opposite, lanceolate-oblong.
Racemes axillary, dichotomous. Segments of the corol obovate. Filaments thick, headed, and woody.
Beng. Happ?<r-malee.
Pergularia glabra, Kon. in B. H.
A large, twining, shrubby plant, found in forests, .&c. nediV Calcutta ; flowering time, the hot season. Stems ligneous. Branches numerous, spreading and twining ; 6arAr of the woody part ash-coloured, of the young shoots ^reen and smooth. Leaves opposite, very short-petioled, from oblong to lanceolar, acute, recurved, entire, smooth ; from two to three inches long, and from, one, to one and a half broad. Stipules, some awl-shaped, brown glands surrounding the insertions of the leaves. Racemes axilla- ry, or a little above, solitary, generally two-cleft, or two racemes to a common peduncle, rachis winding. Flowers alternate, generally solitary, pretty long-pedicled, large, pure white, pleasantly fragrant. Bractes, a few of an unequal size at the insertion of each pedicel. Calyx of five, cordate, pointed leaflets ; the length of the tube of the corol. Corol tubular ; tube short; border large, flat; di- visions roundish-obovate. Nectary cylindric, surround- ing the germs ; mouth five-notched. Filaments inserted on the mouth of the tube of the corol, very thick, with a large round pearl coloured projection behind the insertion of the arrow-shaped anthers, which are woolly on the fore side. Germs two, &c. as in the former species. Style single, hairy. Stigma headed, and adhering firmly to a projection in the fissure which forms the barb of the Anthers. Follicles oblong, large, being about six inches long, and above two in diameter at the thickest part, and what is most extraor- dinary, the only few seed vessels which I have yet met
c 2
20 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Plumevia,
with, divided spontaneously into four parts or equal valves, when dry. Seeds numerous, comose, &c. with in- verted embryo, as in the other Apocineoe.
14. E. parviflora R.
Twining. Leaves lanceolar. Panicles terminal, and axillary, brachiate. Tube of the corol gibbous toward the base ; segments of the border linear- falcate. Necta- ry an entire ring round the germ.
A stout perennial species, a native of the northern Cir- cars.
15. E. clavata, R.
Twining, dichotomous. Leaves broad, lanceolate, en- tire, villous underneath. Panicles axillary, dichotomous. Tube of the corol clavate, with the segments of the border falcate. Anthers linear, and within the mouth of the tube.
A native of the Moluccas, and of all the species known to me, this most resembles E. Dichotoma, but differs suf- ficiently in the length of the tube, the segments of the bor- der of the corol, and the stamina, to authorise its being considered a distinct species.
PLUMERIA. Schreb. gen. N. 422. Calyx 5-parted. Corol infundibuliform. Germ 2 celled ; cells many seeded, attachment interior. Follicles reflex. Seeds inserted into their proper membrane.
P. acuminata of the Banksian herbarium.
Arboreous. Leaves cuneate-lanceolar, acuminate, those of the branchlets obtuse. JRacemes corymbose.
Flos convolutus. Rumph. Amb. 4. t. 38 good.
Hind. Gool-achin.
This very elegant, small tree does not appear to be a native of this part oi: India, I have only found it in gar- dens; but there it is very common, vhich shews it to be of
Taberncemonfana. pentandria monogynia. 21
considerable antiquity. Every part is full of tenacious, white juice, which exudes plentifully on being wounded. Trunk crooked, from six to ten feet hij^h. Bark rou^h. Branches numerous, three-forked, swelled towards the ends ; the height of the whole tree fifteen or twenty feet. Leaves crowded about the end of thebranchlets, petioled, w^edge-lanceolar, acute, entire. Many straight veins run towards the circumference, and are lost in another waved vein, which surrounds the loaf within the margins ; they are smooth on both sides ; about a foot long and three inches broad. Petioles round, with a small channel on the upper side, which ends below in a hollow filled with blackish co- nical glands. Peduncles subterminal, having several co- rymbiform racemes, in a verticelled order. Flowers numer- ous, succeeding one another for a great length of time : on the outside they are tinged red ; the inside pale yellow be- low, and white towards the base of the segments ; diffus- ing a pleasing fragrance, chiefly during the night. Calyx of five, small, roundish, fleshy leaves. Corol funnel-shap- ed, with a large imbricated border ; divisions obovate. Stamens in the bottom of the tube. Filaments short. Anthers sagittate. Follicles pendulous, horizontal, very rigid. In thirty-five years I have only met with them once, so rarely does this tree ripen its seed.
TABERNjEMONTANA. Contorted. Corol funnel-shaped. Follicles two, re- curved. Seeds several, immersed in a pulpy aril, and alternately attached to the two margins of the follicles.
1. T. dicholoma. R.
Subarboreous, dichotomous. Leaves oblong, and li- near oblong, with de verging veins. Racemes simple or compound, single, or in pairs from the forks.
A native of Ceylon and Malabar and introduced into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta from the former place, by
22 PENTANDRiA MONoGYNiA. TaberncBihontana.
the Rev. Dr. John ; where it jflowers during the greater part of the year, but chiefly during the rains. Trunk short.
Branches numerous ; spreading much in every direction, dichotomous, the old ones with smooth olive coloured bark ; the young ones green, round, and very smooth, ieave* opposite, petioled, oblong, and linear-oblong, entire, rather obtuse, of a firm texture, and polished on both .sides ; veins parallel, diverging from the rib ; length from four to eight inches and from one to two broad. Petioles short, and united in a cup like a stipulary ring which com- pletely embraces the branchlets. All these parts very re- sinous. Racemes simple or compound ; single or in pairs, in the extreme divisions of the branchlets ; often as long as ^he leaves, polished, bright green. Flowers rather remote, long-pedicelled, large, white, scarcely fragrant. bractes scarcely any. Calyx five-parted ; divisions short, semilunar, resinous. Coral ; tube long, gibbous near the base, much contracted above the stamina ; i?orc?er of five, contorted, falcate segments. Filaments short, inserted into the tube of the corol near the mid- dle. Anthers sagittate. Germs tw o, closely united ; single, one-celled ; ovula numerous, attached to a two- lobed receptacle, on the inner side of the cell. Style two-thirds shorter than the tube of the corol, two-lobed. Stigma large, with a tapering bifid apex. Follicles, it is rare to find more than one of the two come to ma- turity, they are recurved with the back considerably concave ; and very gibbous on the opposite side, where an elevated rib runs along each side of the suture ; ob- tusely pointed, pretty smooth; when ripe of a bright orange colour, four or five inches long, and nearly two in dia- meter where thickest. Seeds numerous, of an irregular, cuneate-oblpng shape, with a deep longitudinal groove on one side ; each enveloped in its own proper, scarlet, pulpy aril and inserted along the side of the two margins
Tabernamontana. pentandria monogynia. 23
of the suture by the small end of the aril, which is again attached by a broad umbilical cord to the centre of the longitudinal groove just mentioned. Perisperm in pret- ty large quantity, rather soft, and of a pale bluish Avhite colour. Embryo nearly as long as the seed, with the two cordate cotyledons lodged near the thick end ; and the long, almost straight cylindric radicle directed to the small end where the aril was attached to the marjiin of the follicle ; (relative centripeta ofGcertner.)
An incomplete drawing, and description of this tree, was sent to the Honourable the Court of Directors under the name of Cerbera dichotoma, and numbered 1541. At that time T had not seen the fruit but since my return to India, I have met with it in a perfectly ripe state and find the plant must now be referred to the genus TaberncBmoii' tana where, I think; it forms a new species. '
2. T. coronaria. R.
Shrubby, dichotomous. Leaves lanceolar, waved, smooth. Penduncles from the divisions of the branches few flowered. Calyx 5-toothed. Fo^/tc/es recurved, ma- ny-seeded.
Nerium coronarium. Hort. Kew. 1. P. '297.
Nandi-ervatum major, and minor. Rheed. Mai. 2. f.
54. and 55. I take to be the double and single varieties of this.
Firki-tugur the Hindoo name of the single flowered, and Bura-tugur of the double flowered.
Jasminum zylanicum. &c. Burm. zeyl. 129. t. .59.
Flos Manilhanus. Rump. Amb. 4. t. 49. appears to be the double variety.
A flowering shrub common in gardens over India. It is in flower the greater part of the year but rarely ripens its seed. I mean the double sort, the single ripens them fre- quently.
24 TENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. TdbertKBmontana .
Trunk triflingr, but numerous, two forked branches, with a pretty smooth light ash-coloured bark. The whole shrub is abou^ 6 or 8 feet high. Leaves opposite, short- petioled, spreading, lanceolar, smooth, shining, deep green; margins waved a little, with elevations above the veins ; four or six inches long. Stipules within the leaves, resinous as in most species of Gardenia. Peduncles ge- nerally solitary, from the divisions of the branchlets, one or two inches long, from one to eight flowered. Flowers pure white, and delightfully fragrant during the night. Calyx five toothed. Corol funnel shaped; tube contract- ed towards the mouth, and crowned with small yellow glands, (which brings it in this respect near to Nerium ;) feorrfer five-parted ; divisions obliquely ovate, and curled at, the margins. Stamens rather below the middle of the tube. Germs two. Style short. Stigma single, headed with its slender apex, bifid. Follicles spreading ; and recurv- ed singly, from one to three inches long. Seeds three to six, irregularly oblong, dark brown, and striated ; each enclosed in its own proper, fleshy, deep red pulpy aril. Perisperm conform to the seed ; with the cordate cotyle- dons lodged in its thick end, and the long, cylindric, straight radicle, directed to the small end.
Note. This pulp seems fit for yielding a very beautiful colour. The double flowered variety is much more com- mon than the single and is more beautiful ; few shrubs surpassing it.
3. T. Crispa. R.
Shrubby, dichotomous. Leaves oblong, pointed, waved, smooth. Peduncles from the divisions of the branches, three or four flowered. Calyx five-leaved. Follicles three or four seeded.
4. T. alternifolia. Willd. 4. 1246. Curutu-pala. Rheed. mal. 1. P. 83. t. 46.
Taberuccmontana. pentandria monogynia. 25
This is a large, ramous shrub. I have only found it in the Botanic Garden of the Company at Calcutta, where it flowers durini; the rains.
Trunk ^hoxi ; branches numerous, two forked; bark ash coloured ; young shoots dotted. Leaves opposite, cross* armed, short-petioled, reclined, oblong, pointed, waved, pale green, but smooth on both sides ; from 4 to 8 inches long and two or three broad. Peduncles from the divisi- ons of the branchlets, solitary, few-flowered. Flowers pure white, fragrant. Calyx five-leaved, leaflets cordate, smooth, falling. Corol ; tube a little gibbous above the middle, and there the stamens are lodged ; divisions oi the border curled. Germs two, each one-celled, containing four vertical rows of ovula, two on each side, attached to the inner elevated margins of the cell. Follicles oblong, three-six-seeded. Seeds surrounded with their proper pulpy arils, &c. &c. as in T. Coronaria.
I never saw this species with double flowers, nor is it so ornamental as even the single flowered. T. Coronaria. To distinguish it I'rom that species, attend to the calyx, and follicles chiefly, the leaves being in this also oppo- site, made me change the Linnaean specific name atterni- folia, for crispa on account of its curled petals.
7\ corymbosa. R.
Leaves petioled, oblong. Corymbs terminal, ample, de- compound, all the primary divisions dichotomous. An' thers inclosed.
A native of the Moluccas.
T. parviflora. R.
Shrubby, dichotomous. Leaves broad-lanceolate, ta- per, obtuse pointed. Peduncles in pairs at the forks, few- flowered. The five segments of the calyx ensiform.
This small shrub, was sent from Sumatra to the Bota-
D
26 PENTANDRIA MONOGYNiA. TahemcBmontana.
nic Garden at Calcutta, where it flowers during the rainy- season ; but has not yet perfected its seeds in Bengal.
Stem erect, slender, round, and smooth, soon dividing into a few, slender, dichotomous branches, the whole heiiiht rather under three feet. Leaves opposite, short- petioled, broad-lanceolate, taper, obtuse pointed ;mrtrgfins waved, but entire, smooth on both sides, length from two to six inches and the breadth from one to two. Peduncles generally in pairs from the forks of the branches, few- flowered. Flowers pedicelled, small, white. Pedicells as long as the peduncles. Br«c/es few and small. Calyx five-toothed. Dn^mons erect, ensiform. Coro/ infundibi- liform; tube widest close to the mouth, and there the sessile anthers are lodged. Border of five falcate, linear, obtuse segments, which are shorter than the tube. Germ two-lobed ; s^?/?e of two, coalesced portions, and sufficient- ly long to elevate the stigma even with the anthers.
T. recurva. R.
Shrubby, dichotomous. Leaves broad-lanceolar, smooth. Peduncles in pairs at the forks, recurved, corymbiforra. Calyxes five-cleft. Anthers in the mouth of the clavate tube.
A native of Chittagong from whence it \^as sent to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta by Dr. Buchanan, where it blossoms in March and April.
Trunk tolerably straight, but short, soon dividing into several, dichotomous branches. Bark smooth. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, broad-lanceolate, obtuse-point- ed ; smooth on both sides ; length from two to six inches. Peduncles in pairs from the divisions of the branchlets, short, recurved, each ending in a dichotomous corymb of many, long, white, drooping flowers. Bracfes lanceo- late. Calyx five-cleft to very near the base ; divisions li- near, unequal, smooth. Corol ; fufte many times longer than the calyx, widened at the mouth, where the an-
Ceropegia. pentandria digynia. 27
thers are lodged. Border of five, large, wedge-shaped, very obliquely, smooth, entire ses^ments. Fit short. Ati- thers sagittate, lodged just within the tube of the corol. Germ two lobed. Style nearly as long as the tube of the coroJ. Stigma bifid, issuing from the apex of an enlarg- ed glutinous gland.
T. per^icariafolia. Willd. 1. 1246.
Arboreous. Leaves opposite, lanceolar. Panicles ter- minal and axillary, small, dichotomous. Follicles many- seeded.
A small tree, with smooth opposite and dichotomous branches and branchlets. Flowers rather small, pale yel- low.
PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA.
CEROPEGIA. Schreb. geu. n. 431.
Ca/yx five-toothed. Corol with the divisions of its borders converging. Nectary surrounding the fructifica- tion, protruding five sterile filaments. Follicles linear. Seed comose.
1. C. Candelabrum. Willd. 1.1275.
Perennial, twining, smooth. Leaves ovate-oblong. Urn- hells pendulous.
Njota-njoden-valli. Rheed. mal. 9. t. 16.
Native of Malabar. It flowers in the rainy season in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta.
2. C. hulhosa. Willd. 1. 1275 R. Corom. pi. 1. N. 7. Root tuberous, perennial. Sterna herbaceous, twining.
D 2
'2S PENTANDRIA DiGYNiA. Ceropegia.
Leaves obovate, short- petioles, fleshy. Umbels short- peduncled, few-flowered.
Teling. Manchi, viz. good Mandu.
It g;rows amongst bushes in hedges, &c. on dry, barren, uncultivated ground and flowers during the hot sea- son.
Root tuberous, a little flattened like a turnip, with several fibres from its base ; it is about as large as a small apple. Stems twining, herbaceous, smooth, succu- lent ; from 2 to 4 feet long. Leaves opposite, short-petiol- ed, obovate, with a small point, entire, fleshy, size vari- ous. Umbels lateral, length of the leaves, peduncled few- flowered, direction various. Flowers pretty large, erect ; tube greenish ; border purple. Calyx five toothed ; tooth' lets acute, permanent. Corol one-petalled ; tube swelled at the base, contracted about the middle, enlarging from thence into a bell-shaped mouth. Border five-parted ; segments linear, downy, purple, erect, tops united, gaping at the sides. Nectary ; its body is already described in the preliminary observations ; from each of its five divi- sions, rises a curved tapering, filiform, sterile filament, of about half the length of the tube. Anthers ?i\e pair, rest- ing on the black pointed angles of the common stigma. {Corpus truncatum.) Germs two united. Styles two, united, short, thick. Stigma common large, peltate, five- cornered, before the flower opens these corners adhere firmly to five, incurved, yellow glandular parts of the nec- tary, and between them are the anthers. It requires some force to separate them, to have a view of the anthers ; when the flower is afterwards fully blown, they separate of themselves, the anthers are then seen poised, as it were, on the five black, pointed angles of the stigma. Follicles two, slender, singly about 3 or 4 inches long.
Every part of this plant is eaten by the natives, either raw or stewed in their curries. The fresh roots taste like a raw turnip.
Asdepias. pentandria digynia. 29
3. C. aguminata. Willd. 1. 1276. R Corom, pi 1, N. 8. Root tuberous, perennial. Stems herbaceous, twining. Leaves ensiforra, succulent.^ Teling. Commoo-madu.
ASCLEPIAS.
Contorted. Calyx five- toothed. Corol rotate, or sal- ver-shaped. Nectary subcylindric, embracing the organs of the fructification. Anthers five pairs, attached to the five angles of the common stigma. Follicles two. Seeds coraose.
The East Indian plants of this extensive family, be- longing to the natural order Apocinea of Jussieu, are, with the exception of two or three species, uniformly twining perenials. The Leaves always opposite ; inflo- rescence sub-axillary or rather laterifolius umbells. The Calyx and Corol five-parted. The nectary a subcylindric pentagon, more or less deeply divided into five, lanceo- late, lamellated segments. The organs of the fructifica- tion consist of five pair, of one-celled anthers and as I cannot subscribe to Brown's opinion, I must say at all periods attached to the circumference, or when angular, to the five angles of the common stigma, and furnished with 2i fecundating fluid, instead of pollen. The germs two, or very perfectly two-lobed, superior, each crowned with its proper style, but the two are often pretty firmly unit- ed, and end in a single large, roundish, or pentagonal, spongy body, which I call the common stigma, ( Jacquin's tuherculum staminiferum, and Cavanille's radix stamine- um) and gives the germs nearly as great a claim to t he first order of this class, as the other parts of the pistil- lum do to the second. This body is in some parts firmly attached to the interior lamella of the five seg- ments of the nectary, and that organ being united to the Corol, the whole falls ofi" in one body. Several of our In-
80 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AsckpictS.
dian plants of this order hitherto consigned to ^ergula- ria, Periploca,Cynanchium, drnd Apocynum, fall into this genus ; nor can 1 contrive any possibility of placing them elsewhere, so exactly alike are all the essential parts of their generic character, which appears to me as completely Gynandrous, as any of the Orchidees.
Section 1st. Corol rotate.
1. A. gigantea. Wdld. 1264.
Shrubby, hoary. Leaves stem clasping, oblong, obo- vate, downy underneath. Umbels simple.
Madorus Rumph. amb. 1 . t. 14. f. 1.
t7rka is the Sanscrit name of the lilac variety, and Ulurka, the name of the white.
Ericu. Rheed. mal, 2. t. 31 the lilac, and Bel-ericu, 31 the white.
Neila-jeberoo, the Telinga name of the lilac flowered variety, and Zella-jeleereo of the white flowered. Beng. Akwnda, and Swetakwnd.
This is one of the most common, large, ramous shrubs over India. It is in flttwer, and has ripe seed all the year round. It grows every where, but chiefly about old walls, hedges, or ruinous places.
Stem often as thick as a man's leg, or thigh, sub-erect ramous. Bark ash-coloured. Young shoots covered with soft woolly down. Leaves opposite, decussate, sub-ses- sile, embracing the stem, broad, wedge-form, bearded on the upper side where they end in the petiole ; the upper surface pretty smooth ; the under one, covered with a white woolly pubescence, from four to six inches long, and from two to three broad. Umbels generally simple, though sometimes compound, peduncled. Peduncles round, covered with the same woolly substance, as the leaves and young shoots, and issuing alternately from between the opposite leaves, nearly erect, half the length of the
Asclepias, pentandria digynia. 31
leaves. Involucres several oblong, pointed scales. Flowers large, beautiful, a mixture of rose colour, and purple: Calyx five-parted. Corol flat.
The white flowered variety differs only from the lilac flowered, in the colour of the flowers.
A large quantity of an acrid, milky juice, flows from wounds made in every part of these shrubs ; the natives apply it to various medicinal purposes; besides which, they employ the plant itself, and the preparations thereof to cure all kinds of fits ; Epilepsy, Hysterics, Convulsions from Coitu immediately after bathing ; also Spasmodic disorders such as the locked jaw. Convulsions in children, Paralytical complaints, Cold sweat, Poisonous bites, and venereal complaints. Good charcoal for gunpowder issaid to be made of it. A fine sort of silky flax is in some parts prepared from the bark of the young shoots. A large, beautiful, inactive species of Gryllus feeds upon the leaves.
2. A. sussuela. R.
Succulent and smooth. Leaves petioled, oblong, point- ed succulent smooth. Peduncles few-flowered. Calyx five-leaved. Carols flat, fleshy, five-lobed. Genitalia short, and obcbnical.
Corona Ariodnes. Rumph. amb. 5. 1. 182.
A native of the Moluccas and by far the largest flow- ering species I have yet met with ; when expanded it is nearly three inches in diameter.
3. A. acida. R.
Leafless. Unibellets terminal simple. Soma-lata in Sanscrit, rendered Jioon by Wilkinsin his translation of the Bhagavut Geeta, p. 80, and note 42. Cynanchium viminale. Willd. 1. 1252. Teling. Tiga-tshomoodpo. Beng. Bramee or shom-lota.
32 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AsckpiaS.
A native of hedges, forests, &c. but by no means com- mon.
Stems twining, woody. Branches and branchlets most numerous, cyiindric and smooth ; particularly the young- est shoots, and they are generally pendulous when not supported ; naked and succulent, like those of Euphrobia Tirucalli. Leaves scarcely the rudiments of any to be seen. Flowers small, pure white, fragrant, pedicelled, collected round the extremities of the branchlets, in the form of ele- gant, small, simple umbellets. Calyx small, five-parted, star-like. Corol flat seemingly five-petioled, as the fis- sures are continued close to the base. Nectary enlarged at the base in form of a cup, on which rests five, large fleshy, incurved, undivided, white segments. Stamens and pistil, as in the germs. Follicles, I never saw them.
This plant yields a larger portion of very pure milky juice than any other I know ; and what is rare, it is of a mild nature, and acid taste. The native travellers often suck the tender shoots to ally their thirst.
4. A. racemosa. R.
Twining to a vast extent. Leaves round, cordate. Gc- nitalia oblate. Follicles linear oblong, obtuse.
A native of various parts of India. Flowering time, in Bengal, the month of May.
Stems, and old branches woody, covered with dark, scabrous bark, twining up, and over trees of a large size ; young shoots round, smooth, bright green. Leaves opposite, petioled, round-cordate, entire, acuminate ; Loftes large, and rounded, smooth on both sides ; some conic glands at the base, which become brown by age ; length, from 3 to 6 inches and nearly as broad. Petioles shorter than the leaves, round, smooth. Racemes late- rifoliate, peduncled, smooth, nearly erect, continuing to lengthen as the spirally disposed flowers expand. Pedicles diverging, long, round, and smooth. Floivers
Asclepias. pentandria digynia. 33
small, smooth. Calyx ^\\c-c[c^i\ segments xo\\nAe<\. Corol perfectly rotate, most slightly contorted ; segments ovate, speckled with ferruginous marks, on a pale yellow ground. Nectarium very short, the five exterior lamina of its five divisions obversely crescent-shaped. Follicles large, linear-oblong, obtuse, smooth. Seeds ovate, thin membrane-margiued. Coma large. Integument single, a rather thick, light brown. Perisperm conform to the seed, thin, white. Embryo straight, inverse. Cotyledons cord- ate, thin, five-nerved, large and nearly dividing the peris- perm into two. Radicles clavate, pointing to the coma, which points to the apex of the follicle.
5. A. asthmatica. Willd. 1. 1270.
Leaves petioled, long-cordate, downy underneath. Umbels axillary, compound. Calycine. Segment s.ensi- form.
Beng. C/nta-mool.
Teling. Kaka-palla.
This is a perennial, twining species ; it is common al- most everywhere, and delights most in a light sandy soil. It flowers during the cold season.
AVliat is A. alixicaca of Jacquin. See Willd. 1. 1270? I suspect it is the same or a variety. We have one varie- ty in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta w ith the young shoot peduncles and petioles tinged with red. Root of many, long, thick, whitish, or light ash-coloured, fleshy fibres, issuing from a small, hard, ligneous head. Stems several, twining, slender, round, from 6 to 12 feet long ; young parts downy. Leaves opposite, petioled, linear, cordate-ovate ; those near the extremities are narrower, all are entire ; above smooth ; below downy ; from two to three inches long. Petioles about half an inch long, channelled. Umbels solitary, axillary, and alternate, generally compound. Peduncles, and pedicels twice the length of the petioles, round, downy. Involucres lanceo-
34 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AsclepiOS.
late. Flowers numerous, small, colour a mixture of bad yellow, and orange. Cahjx ; divisions lanceolate, very acute. Corol flat ; divisions oval. Follicles lanceolate, spreading, three or four inches long, and about two in cir- cumference.
On the coast of Coromandel, the roots of this plant have often been used as a substitute for Ipecacuana. I have often prescribed it myself, and always found it an- swer as well as I could expect Ipecacuana to do ; I have also often had very favorable reports of its effects from others. It was a very useful medicine with our Eu- ropeans who were unfortunately prisoners with Hyder Ally, during the war of 1780, 81, 82 and 83. In a pretty large dose, it answered as an Emetic ; in smaller doses, often repeated, as a Cathartic, and in both ways very effectually.
I had made and noted down many observations on its uses, when in large practice in the General Hospital at Madras in 1776, 77 and 78, but lost them, with all rhy other papers, l)y the storm and inundation at and near Coringa in May 1787. I cannot therefore be so full on the virtues of this valuable, though much neirlected root, as I could wish. I have no doubt but it would answer every purpose of Ipecacuana.
The natives also employ it as an Emetic ; the bark of about three or four inches of the fresh root, they rub up- on a stone, and mix with a little water for a dose ; it ge- nerally purges at the same time.
Note by Dr. P. Russell. " Dr. Russell was informed by the Physician General at Madras, (Dr. J. Anderson,) that he had many years before known it used, both by the European and Native Troops with great success in the dysentery which happen- ed at that time to be epidemic in the camp. The store of Ipecacuana had it seems, been wholly expended, and
Asclepias, pentandria digynia. 85
Dr. A.nderson finding the practice of the black doctors much more successful than his own,ackno\vled;;ed, with his usual candour, that he was not ashamed to take in- struction from them, which he pursued with good suc- cess ; and collecting a quantity of the plant which they pointed out to him, he sent a lar^'e package of the roots to Madras. It is certainly an article of the Hin- doo materia medica highly deserving attention.
6. A. tunicata, R.
Leaves long-cordate, smooth. Stipules short- petioled, broad-cordate. Umbels simple. Nectary double.
Periploca tunicata. Willd. 1. 1252. Retz, 3. ohs. 2. N. 35.
Hind. Kallia-luta.
Beng. Chagwl-patl.
A pretty large, twining shrub, a native of the hedges, &c. Flowering time, the rainy season. Its milky juice is particularly gummy.
Leaves opposite, petioled, cordate, with large, round- ed, posterior lobes ; pointed, entire, both sides smooth ; from 2 to 4 inches long. Petioles half the length of tlie leaves, stem-clasping. Stipules two in the same axil, none in the other opposite one ; they are short-petioled, broad- cordate, pointed, smooth, about an inch long each way. Umbels solitary, small, simple, few-flowered, occupying the axil opposite to the stipules. Flowers small, rusty colour. Corol flat. Nectary double. Exterior tubular, gibbous, considerably large, and completely embracing the inner, and the fructification ; towards the apex plait- . ed, and contracted ; mouth ten-toothed, the alternate ones very large, and emargiuate. Interior as in the ge- nus. Follicles lanceolar, flat on the inside, with sharp margins, black, deeply and irregularly furrowed.
7. A. microphylla, R.
Leaves cordate, with a minute point, smooth and
E 2
36 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA, Asclepias.
fleshy. Racemes lateral, few-flowered, scaly with bran- ches.
Parparam. Rheed. mal. 9. t. 17.
Teling. Poola-palla.
A lono:, small, delicate twining perennial, a native of hedijes, &c. Flowering time, the wet season. It is pro- bably CynancMum parvijlorum of the Banksian herba- rium.
Leaves opposite, petioled, cordate, with a minute acute point, smooth, shining, entire, fleshy ; from half an inch, to an inch long. Racemes lateral, sessile, small, few- flowered. Bractes lanceolate. Flowers small, stellate, long-pedicelled, many of them without stamens, or pistil. Corol flat. Follicles as in the last two species, but smaller.
8. A. voluhilis. Willd. 1269.
Leaves petioled, broad.ovate, pointed, smooth. FruC' tification with nectary, turbinate, and truncate. Umbels simple.
Watta-kakacodi. Rheed. mal. 9. 1. 15.
Teling. Doodee-palla.
Beng. Tita-kwnga.
A large woody, twinihg species ; common in hedges, thickets, &c. Flowering time, the wet season. Bark of the woody parts smooth, ash-coloured.
Leaves opposite, petioled, broad-cordate, but not sinu- ate at the base, pointed, entire, smooth ; from 3 to 4 in- ches long. Petioles from 1 to 2 inches long. Umbels la- teral, or a-xillary, simple, many flowered. Flowers nu- merous, green, with pedicels as long as the peduncle. Co- rol flat. Nectary turbinate, truncate. Anthers reflected over the common stigma. Follicles horizontal, obtuse, about three or four inches long, and four in circumference.
9. A. pendula, R.
Leaves oblong, veinless, very smooth, and fleshy. Urn-
Asclepias. pentandria digvnia. 37
bels simple, many flowered. Nectaries protruding five horns at the base.
Nansjera-patsja. Rheed. mal. 9. 1. 13. ■ A native of the mountainous parts of the Circars ; it flowers during- the hot and rainy seasons.
Ste7ns and larger branches woody, twining, running over trees, kc. to a great extent. Branchlets twiggy, and pendulous. Leaves opposite, oblong,, smooth, shin- ing, of a very firm, hard, fleshy texture, veinless. Um- bels peduncled, lateral, solitary, pendulous with the branchlets many flowered. Flowers milk-white, fragrant, pendulous also. Pedicels as long as the peduncles. Ca- rol flat, inside covered with a kind of silky down. Nec- tary stellate; O may represent one of its five parts much magnified. Anthers remarkably large, reflected over, and resting upon the common stigma. If taken out and examin- ed before the flower opens, they are then found much swelled ; along the sharp edge there is a double line, which I conclude forms an opening for the prolific fluid to escape at, but in old flowers they are mere collapsed membranes. On dividing the plump ones I could readily press out a yellow fluid.
Note. This is the most favorable species I have met with for examining the structure, and contents oftheaw- thers of this Gynadrous genus.
10. A. annularia, R.
Leaves petioled, cordate, pointed, smooth ; nerves and veins red ; genitalia sitting on a large annular receptacle.
Ada-kodien. Rheed. mal. 9. t. 7.
Teling. Palla gurgi.
It is a native of moist vallies. Flowering time, the wet season.
iS^ewi twining, perennial. Young shoots round, and very smooth. Leaves opposite, petioled, cordate, deeply lobed at the base, pointed, entire, smooth on both sides, nerve
38 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Asckpias,
and veins red ; on the upper side near the base are some small bristly points ; from three to five inches long, and two or three broad. Petioles about two inches long^. Umbels lateral, peduncled, simple, few flowered. Flow- ers large, the colour a beautiful mixture of red, y^reen and white. Calyx five-leaved ; leaflets ovate. Corol flat. Nectary, its base forms a large, fleshy, somewhat five-sided ring. Filaments twisted. Anthers very long, they hang down on the sides of the common stigma, which is here very large, of an oval form, composed of five lobes, with a pentagonal crown.
11. A. suberosa, R.
Bark of the woody parts suberose. Leaves petioled, cordate, downy. Umbels simple. Corols downy. Fruc- tification globular. Anthers hornletted.
Cynanchium reticulatum. Willd. 1. 1258.
A large, twining, perennial species common in hedges, &c. over most parts of the coast of Coromandel. It flow- ers during the latter parts of the rains, and the cold sea- son.
Stem, and old branchesvioo^y, twining; bark light ash- coloured, suberous, and cracking deep in various direc- tions ; young parts slightly downy. Leaves opposite, pe- tioled, oblong, cordate, entire, acute, downy, particularly when young ; two or three inches long, and one and a half or two inches broad. Petioles round, one half length of the petioles. Umbels lateral, simple, peduncled, about the length of the petioles. Flower numerous, small, star-form, greenish-yellow, scentless. Corol ; tube scarcely any ; segments of the border spreading ; margins revolute, downy. Nectarial sheath surrounding the fruc- tification, as in the genus, the whole small, and globu- lar. Anthers oval, horned, bent up over the common stigma.
Asclepias. pentandria digynia. 39
12. A. pseudosarsa, R.
Shnibby, twininj^, filiform. Leaves from ovate to li- near, smooth, shining. Spikes axillary, sessile, imbricate. Follicles linear.
Ceropegia tenuifolia, Linn. Mant. 346.
Periploca ^V/c//ca. Willd. 1. 1251. when broad leaved.
Periploca emefica, the wild one. 1251. Retz.ohs. 2. No. 34. when narrow leaved.
Naru-nindi. Rheed. mal. 10. t. 34. very good.
C/himta-mool of the H indoos when the leaves are broad, and Sada-boari when narrow.
Palla-soucandee is the Telinfra name for the narrow leaved parts, and Ghodie soucandee for the broad leaved.
It is one of the most common, twining shrubs on the Coast, Bengal, &c. grows equally well in every unculti- vated soil, and in all situations. Flowers during the wet season.
Root long, and slender with few ramifications, cover- ed with rust coloured bark, which possesses a peculiar- ly pleasant sort of fragrance, whether fresh or dried. Stems twining, diffuse, or climbing, woody, slender, gene- rally from the thickness of a goose quill, to that of a crow quill, pretty smooth. Leaves opposite, short petioled, shape very various ; on the young shoots that issue from old roots, and lie on the earth they are linear, acute, and striated down the middle with white ; on the superior, and old branches, they are generally broad-lanceolate, even, sometimes ovate or oval ; all are entire, smooth, shining, and of a firm texture, the length and breadth very various. Stipules four-fold, smixW, on each side of each petiole, caducous. Racemes axillary, sessile, imbricated with flowers, and then with scales like bractes Flowers small ; outside green, inside a deep purple. Calyx divisi- ons acute. Corol flat ; divisions oblong, pointed, inside rugose. Nectary, stamens, and pistil as in Asclepias. Follicles long, slender, spreading.
40 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AscUpklS.
The Hindoos make two species of this plant on ac- count of the variety of the leaves ; and I long thought they were so, till searching more narrowly, and taking up many of the roots. I then frequently found every varie- ty of the leaves on dillerent branches, issuing from the same root ; which confirmed me in their being one plant. This is probably what Retz calls name P. Emetica but I am pretty clear Dr. Kbnig did not give it that name. To the best of my remembrance, he always conceived the broad leaved to be P. Indica, and the narrow to be Cero- pegia tenuifolia. The plant sometimes employed as a substitute for Ipecacuana, is what Konig described un- der the name Asclepias vomitoria; a drawing and des- cription of it will be found in my collections, viz. N. 608. Asclepias asthmatica. The roots, whether dried or fresh, have a pleasant, peculiar fragrance, which I cannot des- cribe. They are known on the Coromandel coast by the name of country Sarsaparilla ; an4 as such were often employed by our Medical Gentlemen. The natives em- ploy them in medicine more than we do, particularly for the thrush in children. For this disorder the dried bark is reduced to a fine powder, and fried in butter ; the propor- tion uncertain, as is often the case with Hindoo prescrip- tions, the quantities being in general guessed ; about a dram of this is given, night and morning. They are also employed, with some other roots in the cure of venereal complaints.
13. A. roseay R.
Leaves linear, smooth ; Racemes longer than the leaves. Corals fringed with hairs. Follicles inflated.
Periploca esculenta, Will. 1. 1250. R. Corom. pi. 1. N. 11.
Periploca esculenta of Konig. See Suppl. plant. 168.
Dooghdika, (or milk plant ;) is its Sanscrit name. See Asiatic Researches, 4. 268.
Beng. Kirai, Doodhee, Doodh-htta.
Asclepias. pentandria digynia. 41
Teling. Doodee-palla.
It is a twininjj perennial ; growing in hedges, and a- mongst bushes on the banks of water courses, pools, &c. Leaves deciduous during the dry season. In flower and foliage during the rainy season.
Root of filiform fibres. Stem and branches numerous, twining, round> smooth, running over bushes of conside- rable size. Leaves opposite, spreading, short-petioled, li- near, tapering to a fine point, round at the base, entire, smooth, from four to six inches long, and about three eighths of an inch broad. Racemes lateral, long, few- flowered. Flowers large, beautiful, white, with a small tinge of rose-colour, and striated with purple veins, in- odorous. Nectary, and Stamens as in the genus. Follicles oblong, inflated.
On this Coast 1 do not find the natives ever eat it, or apply it to any purpose whatever ; cattle however eat it. Its elegant flowers render it well deserving of a place in the flower Garden. Every part abounds with milk, hence its names in various Asiatic languages.
14. A. tenuissima. R.
Filiform, smooth. Leaves linear-lanceolate. Umbels proliferous. Genitalia a truncated cone.
A native of Bengal.
Stem perennial, simple, of several yards in length, very smooth, about as thick as a pack thread. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, linear-lanceolate, base rather broad, and somewhat cordate, entire, plain, smooth on both sides; almost veinless; length from one to two inches, and a little more than a quarter of an inch broad. Petioles nearly round, about as long as the leaves are broad. Um- bels solitary, from between the insertion of each pair of leaves, proliferous. Peduncles diverging, round, smooth, filiform. Flowers small, of a dull purple colour. Calyx
F
42 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Aschpias.
smooth, deeply cut into five, narrow, acute divisions. Corol rotate ; division ovate, oblong, obtuse.
15. A. parasitica. R.
Parasitic, perennial, creeping. Leaves ovate-lanceo- late, fleshy, drooping. Umbels simple, globular ; nectary concave, stellate, protruding five ovate rays at the top.
This charming species is a native of the Sunderbund, or forest in theaestuaryof the Ganges, where it grows on trees, creeping up, and over their trunks and branches to an extent of some fathoms; emitting roots from every part, which take fast hold of the parent tree. The first plant brought into the Botanic garden at Calcutta died when planted in the ground ; but when tied to trees and their roots fixed in any cavity or fork where some humidity and nourishment was to be found, they grew well, though slowly, and blossomed during the hot season, and about the beginning olthe rains in June. 1 have, however, reared them in common earth since.
Leaves opposite, petioled, retrofracted, ovate-lanceo- late, acute, of a firm fleshy texture, and smooth on both sides ; veins scarcely conspicuous above, and invi- sible underneath; from two to four inches long, and about one broad. Petioles short, round, ash-coloured, in fact, more like a part of a branch than a petiole. Pedun- cles solitary, interfoliaceous, round, smooth, about an inch and a half long, each supporting a most elegant, droop- ing, globular umbel, of the most beautiful, exquisitely fragrant, rather small, pearl-coloured flowers. Calyx; leaflets linear, scarcely half the length of the corol. Corol wheel-shaped, with the divisions cordate. Nectary con- cave, stellate, protruding five ovate, thick fleshy horns, or rays at the the top. Stamens as in the genus. The pericarp has not yet been found.
Asclepias. pentandria uigynia. 43
Section 2nd. Carols Salver-shaped.
16. A. tinctoria. R.
Xgaves petioled, long-cordate. Thyrses axillary, soli- tary, glomerate; mouth of the Coro/ hairy. Fructification oblong.
Farooni-akkar. Marsden's history of Sumatra, page 78.
The natives of the coast of Coromandel have no name for it, the plant being foreign to them.
The following description, and the accompanying draw- ings were taken from plants raised in my Garden at Sa- inulcofa, the original of which Colonel Kyd sent me from tlie Company's Botanical Garden at Calcutta. With me it is a large twining shrub and has flowered during the hot and rainy seasons. It is quickly and easily propagat- ed by layers, and cutings, 1 have not seen the pericarp.
Stem and branches twining, round. Bark of the woody parts ash-coloured ; that of the young parts a little downy. Leaves opposite, petioled, horizontal, or rather reclining, cordate, or oblong-cordate, obtuse-pointed, a little downy, some-what bubbled, waved ; from four to nine inches long, and from two to six broad. There are some small subulate glands' on the upper side close to the base ; these while young yield a waxy substance. Petioles round, from one to two inches long. Stipules none. Thyrses solitary, be- tween the leaves, peduncled ; as they become old glome- rate, from their increasing length. Flowers very numer- ous, pedicelled, very small, yellow. Bractes minute. Calyx five-leaved ; leaflets oblong, downy. Corol funnel-formed. tube short, gibbous ; mouth nearly shut up with long sil- ver-coloured hairs. Border horizontal. Nectary, &c. agree well with the general character of the gems.
The leaves of this plant yield Indigo, as mentioned by Mr. Marsden, and by Mr. Blake, in the first volume of the Asiatic Researches. I have also extracted it fromt them by hot water. The few experiments I have yet
]' 2
44 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Aschpias.
made, do not enable me to say positively in what pro- portion they yield their colour; but it was of an excellent quality, and as the plant grows very readily from layers, slips, or cuttings, I think it very well worthy of being cul- tivated ; particularly as it is permanent, like the Nerium, so that a plantation once formed, well continue for a num- ber of years ; and if we are allowed to draw a compari- son between the leaves of this plant, and those of Neri- um tinctorium, the quantity of colour they may yield will be in a larger proportion than from the common Indigo plant.
Since writing the above I have learned that this plant is a native of Cooch-bahar and I had some of the plants sent me from thence, also from Pegu, from whence I have likewise received plants.
Some more experiments I have made with the leaves, comfirm what is above related, not only respecting the quality of the Indigo, but also that the proportion is con- siderably greater than is obtained from Indigofera tinc^ toria. I have therefore warmly recommended an exten- sive cultivation thereof.
17, A. ecliinata. R.
Hairy. Leaves long-petioled, round-cordate, pointed, downy. Umbels proliferous, long-peduncled. Follicles covered with inoffensive prickles. Fructification clavate..
Cynanchium extensum. Willd. 1. 1257.
Pergularia. Lamarck's illust. t. 176.
Hind. Sa,»owani.
Teling. Jutuga.
This is also a perennial, twining species, a native of hedges, &c. flowering time the wet, and cold season ; it abounds with milky juice. Tender parts hairy. The smell offensive. Leaves opposite, petioled, broad- cordate, with a deep sinuosity at the base ; and semiorbi- cular lobes ; entire, pointed, very downy, from two to
Asclepias. pentandria digynia. 45
three inches long. Petioles nearly as long as the leaves. Umbels lateral, Ion g-ped uncled, sub-erect, often com- pound, many-flowered. Involucres few and minute. Flow- ers middle sized, of a dirty whitish colour, long-pedicelled, very fetid. Coro? tubular ; tube not quite half the length of the nectary ; apexes of the five divisions long, very acute, and spirally incurved over the common stigma. Anthers spreading obliquely under the margins of the common stigma. Follicles hedge-hogged.
'oo^
18. A. geminata. R.
Leaves ovate, downy. Umbels simple in pairs from alternate axils. Nectary a simple, five-toothed tube ; common stigma subglobular.
Beng. Choota-doodee-lwta.
This is also a large twining woody plant ; a native of hedges. Flowering time the same as that of the last species. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, ovate, pointed ; at the base a little cordate, entire, downy, from two to three inches long. Umbels lateral, simple, globular, paired, short-peduncled, thewhole being little more than the length of the petioles. Flowers numerous, small, yellow, wi>h the globular apex of the white common stigma projecting in the centre ; it looks like a fine pearl set in gold. Calyx five-leaved. Corol ; tubular, downy ; on the inside of the tube are five elevated ridges ; divisi- ons o{ the border si^re^ding, triangular, acute. Nectarial sheath very simple, its apex reaches very little above the base of the common stigma, and is five-toothed. Anthers erect, affixed round the base of the common stigma, which is large, obovate, and two-thirds above the nectary.
19. A, Montana, R.
Leaves oblong, pointed, smooth. Umbels lateral, solita- ry, proliferous. Common stigma globular.
46 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AsckpiaS.
This is another large, woody, twining plant ; a native of mountainous tracts.
Leaves opposite, petioled, oblong, pointed, entire, smooth on both sides ; about five inches long. Umbels so- litary, lateral, compound, longer than the petioles. Invo- lucres lanceolate. Flowers numerous, middle sized, whit- ish. Calyx five parted. Corol tubular ; tube five-sided ; on the inside are five pair of elevated, hairy ridges ; di- vions of the border linear. Nectary, stamens, and stig- ma, as in A. geminata.
20. A, longistigma. R.
Leaves oblong. Panicles axillary, dichotomous ; divi- sions of the corols linear ; common stigma sublanceolate ; and elevated above the nectary. Stem twining, woody, smooth ; young shoots covered with dark rust coloured down. Leaves opposite, petioled, oval, waved, pointed, of a smooth, shining, firm texture ; when very young covered with the same rusty down. Petioles short, generally crooked, covered with rust-coloured liairs. Pa- nicles axillary, solitary, dichotomous, much shorter than the leaves. Flowers yellow, fragrant. Corol tubular ; divisions of the border linear, a little twisted. Stigma common, green, oblong, pointed, elevated high above the nectary, only its base where the anthers are attach- ed, is enveloped by the apex of the nectary.
21. A. odorotissima. R.
Bark of the woody parts suberose. Leaves cordate, soft, though not downy. Nectary and organs of fructification shorter than the tube cf the corol, which is wooly within. Stigma subglobular.
Pergularia odoratissima. Smith's coloured figures of rare plants; fasc 3. N. 16.
Pergularia Minor B. M, N. 755.
Asclepias. pentanuria digynia. 47
Flos Siamicus. Rumph. Amh. 7. t. 26 f. 1-
Mai. Tonki, or Tonkin.
Cj'uancbium odoratissimum. Lour. Cochin. Ch. 164.
Beng. K?nija-lMta.
The Telingas have no name for it.
Eng. XA^est coast creeper.
This plant is said to have been originally introduce! into our gardens from Sumatra, where it continues to be carefully cultivated ; hence its English name, the West side of that Island on which we have our settlements, be- ing generally called in India, amongst the English, the West coast.
For my part I cannot well consider this plant as a spe- cies o( Pergularia ; it seems to uuite the character of this genus with that of Asclepias. The nectary w^hich I be- lieve is the most essential part, is that of the latter ; and the corol that of the former. At all events I consider it as a perfectly distinct species from P. tonientosa ; on ac- count therefore of the exquisite fragrance of its flowers, I call it odoratissima. It is in flower from the beginning of the hot, till near the end of the wet season. The Root con- sists of many, horizontal, crooted, ramifications, covered with thick spongy bark.
Stems twining, woody. Bark deeply cracked, and cor- ky on the old parts ; smooth, ash-coloured on the young- er, jointed ; where the joints rest on the ground they strike root; young, tender shoots slightly downy. Leaves opposite, petioled, cordate, waved, sharp-pointed, entire ; when young a little downy, about four inches long, and three broad. Petioles round, about an inch long. Umbels axillary, solitary, alternate, shorter than the leaves, ma- ny-flowered. 5r«cfes lanceolate, F?o?i;ers middle-sized, yellow, or orange coloured, exeedingly fragrant. Cahjx five cleft ; divisions waved, permanent. Corol; tube gib- bous, longer than the calyx ; inside covered with soft down. Border spreading ; divisions obliquely-ovate, a-
48 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Aschpias.
bove convex. Nectary, five bodies surroundino; the pis- tillum, firmly united at the base but tapering from thence upwards into a sharp point. A single one detached, and veivved side ways, is seen to be split more than half way down, and the exterior lamina is again half two cleft ; the interior is concave, pressing upon the anthers, (yellow scales,) and receives from them a coloured impression. Stamens as in the genus. Germs two, ovate. Styles scarce- ly any ; common stigma turbinate, round the upper part of which the five pair of yellow anthers are fixed to its five minute, dark brown, hairy angles. Follicles two, large, oblong, tapering to a point. Seeds numerous, im- bricate, ovate, compressed, surrounded with a membra- naceous wing, aud crowned with a long coma. Recepta- cle cylindric, spongy, free.
22 A. pallida. R.
Leaves long-cordate, smooth. Umbels short-peduncled, simple or compound ; tube of the corol gibbous, length of the oval genitalia ; segments of the border linear. Fol- licles smooth, lanceolate.
A native of various parts of India. Flowering time, the rainy season. It has a great resemblance to Vahl's Per' gularia purpurea. The flowers are pale yellow, and not fragrant, or in a very small degree.
Stems ligneous, perennial, twining up and over trees of considerable size. Young shoots round, slender, and clothed with small, soft recurved hairs. Leaves opposite, petioled, long-cordate, entire, acute, smooth, but soft ; three or four inches long, and less than one and a half, or two broad. Petioles an inch long, slender, villous, and slightly channelled. Umbels between the leaves, (lateri- folius,) very short-peduncled, often compound. Pedicles longer than the peduncles, villous. Bractes ensiform, one under the insertion of each pedicel. Flowers numerous, drooping, pale yellow^ inodorous. Ca7?/x five- parted, shor-
Asclepias. pentandria digynia. 49
ter than the tube of the corol. Corol ; tube gibbous, outwardly ruj^ose, otherwise smooth, particularly within. Border of five, obliquely linear-oblong, revolute mar- gined, spreading segments, which are at least twice the length of the tube. Their length and narrowness, and want of fragrance are the most obvious marks by which to distinguish tliis species from A. odoratissima.
Genitalia oval, just the length of the tube of the corol. Common stigma oblong, and almost entirely hid by the inner lamina of the nectary. Follicles lanceolate, smooth.
23. A. laurifolia. R.
Twining. Leaves petioled, oblong, polished. Panicles axillary, round, crowded. Corols subrotate ; genitalia round-oval. Follicles slender, diverging horizontally.
A native of Chittagong, Tippera and the mountainous countries east of Bengal. Flowering time in the Bota- nic garden at Calcutta, the rainy season ; the seeds are ripe in March.
Stem and branches shrubby, twining to a great extent. Bark brown, and every part replete with a milky juice which exudes from fresh wounds. Leaves opposite, pe- tioled, oblong, entire, some obtusely cuspidate, some e- marginate, of a firm, somewhat fleshy texture, polished on both sides; a range of dark coloured points where joined to the petiole ; length from two to six inches, and one or two broad. Petioles one-fourth the length of the leaves round and smooth. Panicles laterifolius, soli- tary, globular, crowded, much shorter than the leaves. Peduncles about as long as the petioles, round, villous, with short, ferruginous hairs. Pedicels shorter but simi- lar. Bractes minute, triangular. Flowers numerous, very small, pale yellow. Calyx five-toothed. Corol sub-rotate ; divisions of the border obliquely-oblong, hairy on the in- side ; their margins meet only, and are not contorted as in most species of this natural order.
50 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Asclepias.
Column of fructification, including the nectarium, scarcely differing from the other Asclepiadice will not therefore require to be particularized. Follicles slender, diverging horizontally, round, about as thick as a goose quill where thickest, and about five inches long, obtuse, dotted with small, scabrous specks, otherwise smooth, and brown. Seeds cuneiform. Tuft or coma very long, de- licately fine, and white. Integument single, smooth, brown, adhering firmly to the perisperm which is in small quanti- ty, and pale coloured. Embryo straight, inverse. Cotyle- dons linear-oblong. Radicle cylindric, pointing to the coma or tuft.
24. A. micrantJia. R.
Twining, smooth. Leaves petioled, oval, rather obtuse, long, acuminate, tumid. Panicles sub-axillary, globu- lar ; corols companulate, stellate, villous. Genitalia sub- globular. A large, perennial, twining, delicate plant, a native of Hindoostan, from the vicinity of Cawnpore. Colonel Hardwicke sent it to the Botanic Garden at Cal- cutta, where it blossoms during the rains.
25. A. herbacea. R.
Herbaceous, erect. Leaves petioled, oblong. Umbels compound. Corols with globular tube, which enclose the genitalia.
This is probably Sir William Jones's Padmarka, see Asiatic Researches, vol. 4. page 267. It is a native of the interior parts of Bengal, and was introduced into this gar- den by Dr. William Carey.
Root perennial, ligneous. Stems herbaceous, straight, with scarcely any branches. Bark of the oldest parts, light ash colour, of the young shoots green. Leaves opposite, petioled, oblong, entire, smooth on both sides, pale green, underneath more so ; there are four or five minute bristly glands on the upper surface of the middle nerve near
Asclepias. pentandria digynia. 51
the base. Petioles about an inch long, channelled, smooth. Umbels between the leaves, compound, poduncled. Pe- duncles short, round, smooth. Pedicels twice as lont^ as the peduncles, one-flowered. Bractes subulate ; mixed amongst the insertions of the pedicels, i^/owers numerous, large, colour a most beautiful mixture of purple, red-pur- ple and white. Calyx five-leaved ; leaflets linear, acute, scarcely half the length of the corol. Corol ; tube globular. Segments of the border three-angular, (not contorted.) Nectarium as in Asclepias gigantea, but shorter. Indeed the w hole plant comes so exceedingly near that beautiful species, that by a common observer it may be taken for the same, though very different, particularly in having petioled leaves, and a globular tube the corol. Follicles two ; but I have not seen any that were full grown.
Like Asclepias gigantea, and most other plants of the same order, every part is replete with much acrid, milky juice.
26. A. tenacissima. R.
Leaves long-petioled, exactly-cordate, fine-pointed, villous. Panicles drooping. Genitalia obovate. Follicles ovate-oblong, obtuse, tomentose.
This plant is a native of the mountains near Rajemahl, and the fibres of its bark are employed by the inhabitants to make their bow strings.
This elegant, and very useful species was first taken notice of in 1800 by Mr. W. Roxburgh, junior, growing wild on the above mentioned hills, and by him introduc- ed into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, where the plants thrive luxuriantly, blossom in April, and ripen their seed about ten months afterwards.
Stem perennial, twaning over trees, &c. to a very great extent, and in general about as thick as a large ratan. Branches few, young shoots downy. From ^vounds there
G 2
52 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Asclcpias.
exudes amilky juice, which thickens into an elastic sub- stance, very like Caoutchouc and rubs out blacklead pen- cil lines as readily as that does, and I think may be reckon- ed an additional species of it. Leaves opposite, the pairs in luxuriant shoots (fit lor flax,) very remote, petioled, ex- actly cordate, acute-pointed, entire, very soft, with much fine down on both sides ; general length from four to six inches, and from three to four broad. Petioles round, downy, from two to four inches long. Panicles interfoli- aceous, large, drooping, composed of alternate, drooping branches, of numerous, small umbellets, of beautiful green- ish yellow flowers. Bractes minute, two or three under the insertion of the fascicles of flowers which compose the umbellets. Calyx deeply five-cleft ; divisions rather more than half the length of the tube of the corol, and downy on the outside. Corol salver-shaped. Divisions of the border obliquely oval, with apices rounded, greenish to- ward the centre, with the exterior half yellow. Column of fructification shurt-clavate, about as long as the tube of the corol, with the white apex of the common stigma naked. Follicles ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, nearly round, with a groove on the inside, clothed with much soft, velvet-like green down ; about six inches long, and from four to five in circumference where thickest. Seeds nu- merous, obovate, thin, with a broad membranaceous mar- gin, and long soft silky pappus.
The bark of the young luxuriant shoots yields a large portion of beautiful fine silky fibres, with which the moun- taineers of Rajemahl make their bow strings, on account of their great strength, and durability.
During the rains, they cut the shoots into lengths at the insertion of the leases, peel oft' the barii, and with their nails, or a bit of stick on a board, remove the pulpy part. A person accustomed to this work, will, 1 am told, clean as much as six pounds of the fibres in one day. These fibres, and those of the bark of the Malay plant
Asclepias. pentandria dignyia. 53
Battang-callooee, or poolas (Urtica tenaclssima, R.) are by far the strongest fibres which I have met with in the vegetable kingdom, far exceeding those of the leaves of my Sanseviera Zeylanica. A line made of common hemp, for a standard, broke with 158 pounds when dry, and 190 when wet ; the average of several trials. A similar line of this substance broke with 248 when dry, and 343 when wet, while one of Battang-callooee broke with 240 when dry, and 278 when wet.
27. A. tingens. Buck.
Leaves cordate. Racemes spiral, sub-axillary. Fructifi- cations cochleari-cylindric. Stigma oval, crowning the tube of the corol.
A large, twining, shrubby plant, brought from Pegue to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, by Dr. Buchanan. Flow- ering time the rainy season ; seed ripe the May follow- ing.
Stem twining-, woody^, with numerous, twining, smooth branches, extending far over whatever supporters they meet with. Bark pretty smooth, when young brownish ; when old,ash-colourcd. Leaves opposite, petioled, cordate, entire, pointed, smooth on both sides, from three to six inches long, and from two to four broad. Petioles about an inchlong, channelled, smooth. f/wi6e/s sub-axillary, short- peduncled, compound. When they begin to blossom, the inflorescence is a perfect umbel, but becomes a long, shin- ing, spiral raceme. Pedicels rather longer than the pedun- cles, one-flowered, smooth, diverging in all directions. Flowers numerous, pale yellow or cream colour when they first expand, but grow gradually darker. Calyx to the base five-cleft. Curol ; tube as long as the fructifica- ti 3n ; on the inside run five double ridges, which are ci- liated with short brown hairs. Border expanding ; divi- sions obliquely oval. Nectary as in the genus, with the cordate divisions of its mouth covering the stamina, and
54 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AscUpias.
lower part of the stigma. Stamina ; receptacles affixed to the base of the stigma. Anthers nearly erect. Style sin- gle. Stigma globular, smooth, pearl-coloured, half hid in the mouth of the tube, round its underside ten pits are found, corresponding with the ten anthers. Follicles o- vate-lanceolate, spreading, smooth, and fleshy, length a- bout four inches, and one in diameter where thickest.
Dr. Buchanan informed me that from the leaves of this plant, the Burman people prepare a green dye. It is probable that those people forgot to inform the Doctor that it was necessary to dye the cloth yellow, either before or after the application of the colour prepared from the leaves of this plant ; in which case it will be the se- cond species ofAsclepias described, and figured by me, which yields Indigo; though, for my own part, I have not succeeded in procuring that material from the leaves.
28. A. pulchella. R.
Shrubby, twining. Leaves long-petioled, round-cordate acuminate, smooth. Racemes long-peduncled ; genitalia subcylindric, with the five exterior lamina of the nec- tary long, and subulate ; converging into an open dome high over the common stigma,
Ada-kodien. Rheed. mal, 9. t. 7. would be a tolerably good representation of this elegant plant, if the fascicles of flowers were long-peduncled.
It is an extensive, perennial, twining species, a native of the forests of Silhet, where it is called Kulum. Flower- ing time, the rainy season.
Stems and branches twining ; young shoots perfectly smooth and deep green. Leaves opposite, long-petioled, cordate, entire, smooth, acuminate, from four to eight inches long, and from three to six broad-» Racemes very long-peduncled, sometimes proliferous ; by age the rachis lengthens into the form of a short raceme. Flowers very large, pure white ; long-peduncled. Calyx five-parted.
Melodinus. pentandria digynia. 55
smooth. Coro/ five-parted rotate ; segments oblong, in the bud imbricated. Nectary subcylindric ; exterioi' lamina membranaceous, ensiforra, ending in long, fine, acute points, which converge over the stigma, their texture horny and polished ; in their retuse tops, are the pits where the anthers are lodged. Germs two ; Style short ; common stigma five-angled ; to the points of the angles the five-ovate, hard, polished, chesnut-coloured bodies are attached, which give substantial support to the five pairs of large, oval anthers, by means of their thick, short, polished chesnut-coloured, cyathiform pedicels.
29. A. acuminata. R.
Ligneous parts with suberous bark. Leaves ovate-ob- long, acuminate, above polished, villous underneath. Um- bels paired in the alternate axils, sub-globular, crowded. Mouth of the corol with five incurved glands.
A large scandent, and twining perennial, with the bark of the trunk, and old woody parts particularly spongy, and deeply split. The young shoots villous. UmbelletSf in pairs, sub-axillary, and never in opposite axils ; crowded with small, white, short-pedicelled flowers. It is a native of the forests of Chittagong, and from thence was introduced into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, where it blossoms about the beginning of the rainy season.
MELODINUS. Sckreb. gen. n. 425.
Calyx five-parted. Corol infundibuliform ; mouth crowned with five simple, or divided scales. Germ su- perior, two-celled ; ovula numerous, attached to the thick, elevated centre of the partition. Berry two-celled, seeds numerous, immersed in pulp. Embryo furnished with a perisperm ; radicle centripetal.
56 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. MelodinUS.
1. M. monogynus. R.
Shrubby, scandent. Leaves opposite, lanceolate, glanc- ing^, acuminate. Panicles axillary, and terminal, sub- globular, crowded, brachiate. Nectarial scales five, un- divided.
Sadiil kou is the vernacular name in Silhet, where it is found indigenous in the forests, climbing over trees, &c. Flowering time the month of April. Seed ripe in October and November. It is eaten by the natives ; the taste of the firm pulp in which the seeds are immersed is sweet and a- greeable to the taste.
Young shoots round, and smooth, lactescent. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, lanceolate, shining, entire, acu- minate, from three to six inches long and one or two broad. Stipules none. Panicles terminal, and from the exterior axils, subglobular, brachiate ; extreme divisions three- flowered. Bractes oblong, acuminate. Flowers pretty large, white and fragrant. Calyx of five, smooth, oval, per- manent leaflets. Corol infundibuliform ; segments of the border five, subfalcate. Mouth of the tube crowned with five, undivided, wooly, ensiform scales. Filaments ^ve, short, inserted into the tube of the corol near the base. Anthers sagittate, lodged rather below the middle of the tube, opening on the sides below the apex. Germ superi- or, two-celled, with many ovula in each, attached to ele- vated receptacles on the middle of the partition. Style short, and undivided. Stigma clammy, subovate, em- braced by the anthers, apex slender, and bifid. Berries of a round, somewhat four-cornered shape, size and appearance of a small, deep- coloured, very smooth o- range ; two celled. The whole very inviting to the eye, the firm pulp in which the seeds are immersed is palat- able, and is eaten by the natives where the plants grow. Seeds numerous, long, ovate, considerably compressed, size of a cucumber seed. Integument besides the pulp of the berry two ; exterior rugose, thick, dark brown ; inte-
Willughbeia. pentandria digynia. 57
terior membranaceous. Perisperm conform with the seed. Embryo straight. Cotyledons oval. Radicles cyliudric, centripetal.
WILLUGHBEIA. Schreb. pen. n. 417.
Calyx five-toothed. Corol hypocrateriform. Stigma capitate. Germ superior, one-celled ; ovula many, attach- ed to t AO opposite pirietal receptacles. Berry one-cell- ed. Seeds few, nidulent. Embryo without perisperm.
W. ediilis. R.
Shrubby, scandent. Leaves opposite, oblong, acumi- nate. Flowers in small axillary lascicles. Berries very large, spherical.
L?/ti-am, is the vernacular name in Chittaq;ong, Silhet, &c. where it grows to an immense size, running over the largest trees. It is in flower and fruitnearly the whole year. Bark of the trunk and large branches of large, old plants, above half an inch thick, inwardly dark brown; surface tubercled ; taste somewhat astringent. Leaves opposite, short.petioled, oblong, acuminate, entire, polished, veins simple, and parallel ; length from three to five inches, and the breadth one or two. Peduncles axillary and terminal solitary, short, each supporting a few middling sized, pale pink coloured, short-pedicelled flowers, forming small fas- cicles. jBrac^es solitary, at the base of each pedicel, ovate. Calyx one-leaved, five-toothed. Segments ovate, subcili- ate. Corol one-petalled, infundibuliform ; tube gibbous near the middle where the stamina are lodged, a little hairy on the inside ; border of five, sublanceolate, smooth, expanding segments which are imbricated in the bud. Fi- laments short, inserted into the tube of the corol, a little above its base. Anthers subsagittate, but do not adhere to each other, on each side a polliniferous groove. Germ su- perior, ovate, smooth, one-celled] ovula many, attached to two opposite parietal receptacles. Style short. Stigma
H
68 pETSTANDRiA DiGYNiA. Chenopodium.
conical, and closely embraced by the anthers. Berry, the size of a large lemon, subovate, covered with a thick, friable, pretty smooth, brownish yellow cortex, one-celled. Seeds many, nidulent, in a soft, yellowish pulp, which is intermixed with softer cottony flbres ; size, of a small garden bean; shape, various. Integuments two, exterior rather fleshy, and seems to furnish the soft fibres with which the pulp is intermixed ; interior thin and friable. Perisperm none. Embryo ; cotyledons conform to the seed, of a firm, straw colour with a tinge of pink, while fresh ; if wounded, a quantity of milk exudes which soon becomes bad. Caoutchouc. Radicle small, roundish, vaga.
Every part of the plant on being wounded discharges copiously a very pure white viscid juice which is soon, by exposure to the open air changed into an indifferent kind of elastic rubber, or caoutchouc- The fruit is eaten by the natives where it grows, and is by them reckoned good.
CHENOPODIUM. Schreb. gen. n. 435. Calyx beneath, five-leaved, or five parted, permanent. Corol none. Seed solitary, covered with a thin mem- brane, and closely embraced by the permanent calyx.
1. C. album. Willd. 1302.
Annual, erect, from two to eight feet high. Leaves long- petioled broad, trowel-shaped, obtuse, toward the posterior angles dentate, lobate, mealy. Panicles terminal, erect, contracted, leafy.
Beng. Betu-sag ; used by the natives for a pot herb.
It is common in Bengal and many other parts of India.
2. C. viride. Willd. I. 1303.
Annual, erect, from two to nine feet high. Leaves long-pe- tioled, narrow trowel-shaped, toward the posterior angles
Beta. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 59
dentate-lobate, mealy while young. Panicles terminal, erect, contracted, leafless, very minute.
In India we have two varieties of this species ; one en- tirely green ; the other with the angles of the stem and branches of a beautiful purple colour, and the leaves, and the mealy panicles somewhat reddish. The leaves of both, as well as those of album are eaten by the natives, and are very frequently cultivated by them for that end.
3. C. laciniatum. R.
Annual, erect, three or four feet high. Leaves long-petiol- ed, multifid, mealy. Panicles terminal, erect, contracted.
Common in the vicinity of Calcutta during the dry season.
BETA. Schreb. gen. n. 436.
Calyx five-leaved. CoroZ none, ^eet/s reniform, within the substance of the base of the calyx.
B. bengalensis. R.
Annual, erect ; inferior leaves, petioled and trowel- shaped ; superior, sessile, and lanceolate. Flowers in pairs ; leaflets of the calyx, equal and not toothed.
Beng. Palwng.
I cannot be certain whether this diflers from maritima so much as to render it necessary to make it a distinct species; however, I think it may, as it always grows erect, and with its numerous branches nearly so. It is much cultivated by the natives of Bengal and the north- em Circars. The leaves they use in their stews, &c. Flowering time the cold season.
Root ramous, annual. Stem erect, ramous, furrowed, smooth, pale green, the whole height from one to three feet. Leaves alternate, the lowermost large, petioled, trowel-shaped, and running down the petioles, smooth, succulent, with waved margins ; the superior, or floral
H 2
60 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Salsola.
leaves small, subsessile, incurved, nearly lanceolate, and with curled margins. Spikes xevy long. Flowers rather remote, always in pairs. Calyx ; leaflets equal, without teeth, or process of any kind ; margins mem- branaceous. Filaments inserted into a ring round the flower. Styles from two to four, short.
SALSOLA. Schreb gen n. 437. Calyx five-leaved. Carol none. Capsules one-seeded. Seed screw-shaped.
1. S. nudiflora. Willd. 1. 1313.
Prostrate, perennial. Leaves entire, linear, obtuse, fleshy. Spikes terminal, long, ramous. Flowers fascicled, trigyuous-
Teling. Rawa-cada.
It is a native of salt, barren lands near the sea and flow ers the greater part of the year.
Stems perennial, many, spreading close upon the ground, and often striking root, ramous, extremities of the branches ascending; young parts smooth, and coloured reddish. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, fleshy, obtuse, smooth, generally about half an inch long. Spikes ter- minal, erect, very long, compound, leafless. Flowers very nuaierous, collected in little fascicles. Filaments inserted into the bottom of the divisions of the calyx. Styles three, spreading. Seeds smooth, horizontal, oval, beaked, covered by a thin membrane, and that by the permanent calyx.
This plant is very common in many places near the sea ; the natives gather it for fuel only. The taste is strongly saline, no doubt it would yield good Fossil alkali. How many valuable sources of wealth, and happiness lie lost to the world, over many parts of the
Salsola. PENTANDRJA. DIGYNIA. 61
Company's Territorial possessions in India for want of encouragement, and enterprizing^ men.
The two species of 5rt^/cormrt, already described, and this plant, might be made to yield harrilla suflficient to make soap and glass for the whole world ; at the same time such a work would give bread to thousands of poor starving labourers ; which no doubt would greatly pro- mote population, and the consumption of the productions of these fertile countries ; for, except during years of re- markable drought, there is always more grain produced than can be sold on the spot, I will not say than can be eaten, because few of the poorer classes can, at the best of times procure a sufficiency of food during the dry season of the year, when there is little or no employment for them. It therefore appears the more necessary to insti- tute such branches of manufacture as will employ those people during the dry season ; such as gathering these plants and burning them for the Alkali.
Our extensive, and I may also say impenetrable fo- rests {^Jungle) which occupy such large tracts of the best lands in India mi^ht by degrees be cleared, and turned into potash, for the same reasons, and by the same means. Certainly labour is as cheap here as in Russia, where the largest quantities of that useful commodity are made. In this hot climate we have many- ad vantages that the Russian manufacturer must ever remain deprived of; viz. immense tracts of wood of the most solid texture which requires liitle labour to prepare it for the tire, on account of the great drought and heat which prevails at the sea- son this manuiacture could best be carried on. The same heat and drought is fully sufficient to evaporate the ley, without the least assistance of fire. All that could be ne- cessary, would be some broad shallow vessels, exposed to the sun, and wind. (In this manner would I recom- mend the extraci of my new Fever hark to be prepared.) But to effect such highly interesting objects, the labours
(^ PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Salsola.
olan individual however inclined to promote the public good, can avail but little, when not powerfully and cor- dially assisted by Government. The Spanish ministry sensible of the value of that branch of commerce, has pro- hibited the exportation of the seed of their best Barilla plant, under the strongest penalties.
2. S. indica. Willd. 1. 1317.
Perennial, erect. Leaves linear, acute, semicylindrical, fleshy. Spikes panicled, leaf bearing.
Teling. Ella-kura.
With C. prostratum, SaJicorniaSy &c. a native of the salt moist ground near the sea. It flowers during the most part of the year.
Stem woody, perennial, erect, very short, almost im- mediately branching out into many diffuse, alternate ra- mifications which sometimes rest on the ground, but in general they are sufiiciently strong to support themselves. Young branchlets erect. Leaves scattered round every part of the branchlets, erect, approximate, sessile, li- near, semicylindric, fleshy, smooth ; half an inch long, and one-twelfth broad. In young plants, green, in older, coloured. Floral leaves shorter, and thicker. Spikes ter- minal, erect, compound, or panicled, glomerate, leafy. Flowers small, collected at the axills of the floral leaves. Cahjx five-leaved ; leaflets outwardly semicylindric, with- in concave ; margins slightly membranaceous. Styles two, or to near the base two-cleft, hairy. Stamens shorter than the calyx. Anthers globular, two-lobed. Seed hori- zontal, beaked, enclosed in a tender membrane, which is enveloped by the succulent calyx.
The green leaves of this species are universally eaten by all classes of natives wholive near the sea, where it is to be had ; it is reckoned very wholesome, and must be so, as during times of scarcity and famine, it is a very essential article of the food of the poor natives ; they dress it in their
Celtis. PENTANDRIA DIGVNIA. 63
curries, &c. The leaves of this plant alone, the natives say, saved many thousand lives during the late famine of 1791, 2, and 3: for while the plant lasted, most of the poorer classes who lived near the sea, had little else to eat.
GOMPHRENA. Schreb. gen. n. 441.
Calyx coloured, exterior, three-leaved ; leaflets two, converging, keeled. Petals five. Nectary cylindric, five- toothed. Style half two-cleft. Capsules one-seeded.
1 . G. globosa. Willd. 1. 1321.
Annual, at first erect, by age difi'use. Leaves ovate- lanceolate. Heads solitary. Peduncles two-leaved.
Sans. Anilana.
Hind. Lai gool-makhmul, the crimson flowered va- riety. Suffet gool-makhmul, the white flowered.
Flos globosus. Rumph. amb. 5. 1. 100/. 2.
Wadapu. Rheed. mal. 10, t. 37.
In Gardens over India where it blossoms during the rainy and cold season, native place uncertain.
CELTIS. Schreb. gen. n. 1591.
Polygamous, Hermaphrodite. Calyx five leaved. Carol none. Germ superior, one-celled, one-seeded, attachment superior. Drupe one-seeded. Embryo trans- versely inverse, with scanty perisperni.
Male. Ca^ya; five-six-parted. Coro/ none. Female. Calyx five-six-parted. Drupe and embryo as in the her- maphrodite.
C. tetrandra. R.
Leaves obliquely ovate, lanceolate, serrate, cuspidate, smooth. Flowers axillary, triple, tetrandrous.
64 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. CeUlS,
A native of Nepal, from whence the seeds were sent by Dr. Buchanan to this Garden in 1802 ; in March 1809 the trees began to blossom, and ripened their seed in September ; they were then fifteen or twenty feet high, with stout, short, rather crooked trunks, and smooth ash-coloured fecrr^. J5rawc/^e6• spreading much, and end- ing in long, drooping, or horizontal twigs. Young shoots bifarious, and slightly villous. Leaves alternate, bifa- rious, short- petioled, obliquely ovate, lanceolate, the base being unequally cordate, and entire ; anterior margins obtusely serrulate ; points taper, acute and entire^ rather smooth on both sides ; while young, colored, length about three inches, by one and a quarter broad. Stipules li- near-lanceolate, caducous. Peduncles axillary, tern, longer than the petioles, one-flowered, generally one hermaphrodite, and two male.
Hermaphrodite. Cor /i/.t, four-leaved. Stamina four, longer than the calyx, and expanding with an elastic jerk, as in urtica, &c. Germ, oblong, one-celled, with one seed attached to the top of the cell. Styles two, recurvate, thick. Drupe round, size of a pea, smooth, olive colour. Nut obovate, apex obtuse ; base, acute, ribbed, ohe- celled. Seed solitary. Integument single, thin, membrana- ceous. Perisperm no other than a fleshy partial Integu- ment, entering into the plaits of the cotyledons. Embryo, the size of the seed. Cotyledons variously folded. Radicle sub-superior, that is ascending toward the umbilicus or apex of the cell of the nut, &c. as in Celtis occidentalis. Gert. sem. 1. 374. t. 77.
Male. Calyx smA stamina as in the hermaphrodite. No pistillum.
Note. C. occidentalis has flowered in this Garden, but the filaments are short, and not endowed with that re- markable elasticity of the Urtica, as in our Nepal spe- cies.
Celtis. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 65
2. C. orientalis. Willd. 4. 995.
Arboreous. Leaves bifarious, obliquely cordate, serrate, five-pointed, villous underneath.
Papyrus spuria. Kcemph. amom. 474, t. 472.
Beng. Chicon.
It is common over most parts of India, particularly in Bengal, where it grows to be a small, erect tree, covered with smooth, dark-coloured bark. It is in blossom th>3 greater part of the year.
Leaves alternate, bifarious, short-petioled, ovate-cor- date, fine-pointed, minutely serrate; above a little scab- rous, villous and whitish underneath. Flowers ax'llary, collected on short, common, two-cleft, diverging pedun- cles.
Male. Calyx five-leaved, or to the base five-parted. Coro/ none. Stamens five, elastic, longer than the calyx. Pistil an oval, abortive body, in the centre of the sta- mens.
Female flowers generally on a separate tree, though sometimes androgynous. Calyx as in the male. Germ oval. Styles two, hairy. Drupe small, succulent, when ripe black. Nut rugose, with one cell, and one seed.
This tree is neither useful, nor ornamental, nor is it of Ions: duration.
3. C. trinervia.
Arboreous, ieaves obliquely ovate-cordate, acuminate, serrulate, three-nerved, smootli. Flowers pentandrous.
A middling sized tree, a native of Chittagong where it blossoms in February and March, about the time the young foliage appears, and that of the former year begins to fall.
Young shoots a little villous, the bark of the old woo- dy parts ash-coloured, with still lighter coloured specks. Leaves alternate, short-petioled, obliquely ovate-cordiite.
66 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. UlmitS.
remotely serrulate, acuminate, smooth on both sides ; length from four to six inches, and the breadth two and a half. Stipules ensiform.
Male. Flowers on small, open racemes from the base of the young shoots, or solitary under the hermaphrodite ones, small and not very conspicuous. Ca/t/x five-leaved. Corol none. Filaments, five, short, opposite to the leaflets of the calyx. Anthers oval.
Hermaphrodite flowers on slender, villous, axil- lary racemes, they are remote, and rather larger than the male. Calyx and stamina as in the male. Germ su- perior, ovate-oblong, one-celled, containing one ovula, attached to one side of the top of the cell. Style scarcely any. Stigmas two, spreading, large, and villous.
4. C. tomentosa. R.
Shrubby. Leaves long-cordate, acuminate, serrulate, three-nerved, scabrous above, very downy underneath. Thyrses axillary short, and dense.
Native of Chittagong where it flowers in April.
ULMUS. Schreb. gen. n. 443. Calyx five-cleft. Corol none. Germ superior, one-celled, one-seeded, superior. CopsM/es pedicelled, compressed, membrane-winged, one-seeded. Embryo inverse without perisperm.
9
1. U. lancifolia. R.
Leaves obliquely-lanceolate, equally and obtusely ser- rulate, obtusely acuminate, hard and lucid. Flowers pedicelled, hexandrous. Capsules unequally obcordate, pedicelled.
A large timber tree, a native of the hilly parts of the province of Chittagong, where it flowers in March. Trunk erect. Branches many, extending far on every side.
Ulmus. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 67
Young shoots slender, smooth and drooping consider- ably. Leaves bifarious, short-petioled, unequally lanceo- late, very equally obtuse-serrate, of a very hard texture, with a lucid surface ; length from two to three inches ; about one broad. Stipules ensiform, caducous. Flowers numerous, small, lon^-pedicelled, collected in little so- litary fascicles in the lower axills, or in those of the former year's leaves. Pedkells slender, villous, one- flowered. Bractes many, round the insertion of the pedi- cells, oval, ciliate. Calyx campanulate, five-toothed, smooth. Filaments, six, longer than the calyx, broad, smooth. Anthers oval, two-lobed. Germ superior, while in the calyx subsessile, but after it opens it becomes pedicelled, oblong, one-celled, containing one ovula, at- tached to the top of the cell. Styles two, short, broad, and villous on the inner edge. Stigmas simple. Capsule pedi- celled, unequally-obcordate, very thin, scariose, wing- ed, nearly an inch each way, one-celled. Seed solitary, oval, compressed. Jn^e^i^menf single, thin, brown. Peris- perm none. Embryo conform to the seed, inverse.
2. U. virgata. R.
Branchlets pendulous. Leaves lucid, obliquely-oblong, equally serrate, base unequal. Flowers crowded, short peduncled, tetrandrous. Fruit obliquely oval, sessile.
From China this beautiful, small slow growing tree, was introduced into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, by Sir John Royds ; where in about ten years, from the time ofits arrival, it began to blossom in November", and ripen- ed its seed in February.
Trunk in trees of ten or twelve years growth, nearly erect, short, and not thicker than a man's leg. Branches few, spreading much; many of the extreme branchlets run out into very long, slender, pendulous twigs. Bark of the young parts lighter coloured, and a little scabrous. Height of the whole tree about ten feet. Leaves alter-
1 2
66 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. UlmuS.
remotely serrulate, acuminate, smooth on both sides ; length from four to six inches, and the breadth two and a half. Stipules ensiform.
Male. Flowers on small, open racemes from the base of the young shoots, or solitary under the hermaphrodite ones, small and not very conspicuous. Calyx five-leaved. Corol none. Filaments, five, short, opposite to the leaflets of the calyx. Anthers oval.
Hermaphrodite flowers on slender, villous, axil- lary racemes, they are remote, and rather larger than the male. Calyx and stamina as in the male. Germ su- perior, ovate-oblong, one-celled, containing one ovula, attached to one side of the top of the cell. Style scarcely any. Stigmas two, spreading, large, and villous.
4. C. tomentosa. R.
Shrubby. Leaves long-cordate, acuminate, serrulate, three-nerved, scabrous above, very downy underneath. Thyrses axillary short, and dense.
Native of Chittagong where it flowers in April.
ULMUS. Schreb. gen. n. 443. Calyx five-cleft. Corol none. Germ superior, one-celled, one-seeded, superior. CajasM/espedicelled, compressed, membrane-winged, one-seeded. Embryo inverse without perisperm.
1. U. lancifolia. R.
Leaves obliquely-lanceolate, equally and obtusely ser- rulate, obtusely acuminate, hard and lucid. Flowers pedicelled, hexandrous. Capsules unequally obcordate, pedicelled.
A large timber tree, a native of the hilly parts of the province of Chittagong, where it flowers in March. Trunk erect. Branches many, extending far on every side.
UlmUS. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 67
Young shoots slender, smooth and droopinoj consider- ably. Leaves hiturionA, short-petiolcd, unequally lanceo- late, very equally obtuse-serrate, of a very hard texture, with a lucid surface ; len«;th from two to three inches ; about one broad. Stipules ensiform, caducous. Flowers numerous, small, lon:^-pedicelled, collected in little so- litary fascicles in the lower axills, or in those of the former year's leaves. Pedkells slender, villous, one- flowered. Bractes many, round the insertion of the pedi- cells, oval, ciliate. Calyx campanulate, five-toothed, smooth. Filaments, six, longer than the calyx, broad, smooth. Anthers oval, two-lobed. Germ superior, while in the calyx subsessile, but after it opens it becomes pedicellcd, oblong, one-celled, containing one ovula, at- tached to the top of the cell. Styles two, short, broad, and villous on the inner edge. Stigmas simple. Capsule pedi- celled, unequally-obcorJatc, very thin, scariose, wing- ed, nearly an inch each way, one celled. Seed solitary, oval, compressed. Integument s,\\\%\e,\\\m,hYo\\n. Peris^ perm none. Embryo conform to the seed, inverse.
2. U, virgata. R.
Branchlets pendulous. Leaves lucid, obliquely-oblong, equally serrate, base unequal. Flowers crowded, short peduncled, tetrandrous. Fruit obliquely oval, sessile.
From China this beautiful, small slow growing tree, was introduced into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, by Sir John Royds ; where in about ten years, from the time ofits arrival, it began to blossom in November, and ripen- ed its seed in February.
Trunk in trees of ten or twelve years growth, nearly erect, short, and not thicker than a man's leg. Branches few, spreading much; many of the extreme branchlets run out into very long, slender, pendulous twigs. Bark of the young parts lighter coloured, and a little scabrous. Height of the whole tree about ten feet. Leaves alter-
i 2
^8 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. Ulmus.
Date, bifarious, short-petioled, obliquely oblong, equally, and obtusely serrate, obtuse, of a hard or firm texture, and somewhat scabrous, yet shining on the upper sur- face, length one or two inches, and about half of that in breadth. Stipules ensiform, caducous. Flowers axil- lary, minute, several together, short-peduncled. Bractes several, roundish, hard, dry, dark brown, concave scales embracing the flowers before expansion, caducous. Calyx four, or five-parted ; segments rounded, thin, and perma- nent. Corol none. Filaments four, or five ; four most com- mon, rather longer than the germ. Anthers large, two-lob- ed. Germ obliquely oval, one-celled, with one ovula at- tached to the top of the cell. Styles none. Stigmas the villous margins, of the somewhat lengthened, bifid apex of the germ. Capsule superior, thin, obliquely oval, and sessile in the calyx, with a broad, membranaceous, co- loured margin ; less than half an inch long, one-celled, &c.
3. U. integrifolia. Willd. 1. 1326. Corom. pi. 1. N. 78.
Leaves ovdte, entire. Male flowers mixed amongst the hermaphrodite.
Tarn. Tambachi-marum.
Teling. Naulee.
A large timber tree, a native of the Circar mountains. It flowers during the cold season. Leaves deciduous about the close of the wet season ; they come out again in March.
Trunk tolerably straight, and high. Bark a little sca- brous, of a dirty grey colour. Branc/ies numerous, spread- ing, horizontal, forming a large shady head. Leaves alter- nate, bifarious, short-petioled, ovate, though sometimes cordate, entire, smooth, shining ; from three to five in- ches long, and about two broad. Stipules lanceolate, caducous. Flowers hermaphrodite, and male mixed, and springing from little germs over the leafless branch- lets.
Moacurra. pentandria digynia. 69
Hermaphrodite.
Calyx or corol four, five, or six-leaved ; leaflets spread- inc?, small, oval, caducous. Filaments seven, eight, or nine, exceedingly short. Anthers linear, erect, two-lobed. Germ superior, obovate, emarginate, compressed. Styles two, short, incurved, permanent. Stigmas acute, woolly, Capsule pedicclled, orbicular, leafy, compressed, eniargi- nate, one-celled, one-valved, not opening. Seed none.
Malr flowers mixed with the hermaphrodite. Calyx and Stamen as above. Pistil, no rudiment of one.
Observation. The first part of the flowers that appears, is the anthers ; they are then reddish ; next the calyx increases, and becomes visible to the naked eye, but is at all times small, and unless looked for, is seldom ob- served.
The wood of this tree is reckoned of a good quality by the natives, and is employed for a variety of uses.
MOACURRA. R.
Polygamous. Calyx five-leaved. Corol five-petalled. Nectary a scale within the base of each petal. Germ su- perior, two-celled, cells two-seeded, attachment superior. Capsule two-lobed, two-celled, two-valved. Seed solita- ry, arilled. Embryo inverse^ with perisperm.
M. gelonioides. R.
Moakurra, is the vernacular name in Silhet, where it is indigenous ; it grows to the size of a small tree. Flowering time April and May ; the seeds ripen in December. Bran' ches numerous, ascending. Bark of the old woody parts rather rough with little whitish dots ; that of the young shoots villous, and yellowish. Leaves alternate, short- petioled, broad-lanceolar, entire, long, taper-pointed, of a thin texture, and smooth ; three or four inches long by one and a quarter broad. Stipules subulate, villous.
70 PENTANDRIA DiGYNiA. Gentiaua.
Male flowers numerous, small, and collected on small, axillary, solitary short-peduncled fascicles. Calyx five-leaved ; leaflets oval, hoary. Petals five, length of the calyx, but narrower and smooth. Nectarial scales five on the base of the petals, small, oval, alternate with, the filaments. Filaments five, from the receptacle, alternate with the petals, and shorter than them ; anthers cordate. Hermaphrodite flowers on a difiierent tree and disposed as in the male. Calyx, corol, nectary, and sta^ mina as in the male. Germ ovate, cordate, a little com- pressed, downy, two-celled, with two ovula in each, at- tached from the apex to the top of the cells. Styles two, recurved. Stigmas somewhat two-lobed. Capsule transversely oval, two-lobed, soft, with grey olive-colour- ed down, size of a nutmeg-, two-celled, two-valved, open, ing round the apex. Partition slender. Seed (nuts ?) one in each cell, or lobe of the capsule, oblong, more convex, on the outside completely covered with a soft scarlet or exterior tunic. Integuments two besides the red aril ; exfmor of a tough fibrous ensiform texture, and very ragose on the outside ; interior soft, and spongy. Peris- perm none. Embryo inverse ; cotyledons two, conform to the seed. Plumula from two to five-lobed. Radicle short, superior.
In habit this tree approaches Willdenow's two Geloni- ums, and in the structure and contents of the germ and mature seed vessel, they agree almost exactly, except in the absence of a perisperm in this ; yet their flowers dif- fer widely, here they are pentandrous with a five-petalled corol, male on one tree and hermaphrodite on another ; completely dioecous, no corol, polyandrous.
GENT I AN A. Schreb. gen. 450.
Corol one-pe tailed. Capsule superior, two-valved, one- celled ; receptacles two pair, longitudinally adjoined to the inside of the margins of the valvelets.
Gentiana. pentanuria digynia. 71
1. G. verticillata. Linn, siippl. 174.
Root creeping^, perennial. Stems simple, erect, four- sided. Leaves sessile, lanceolate, three-nerved. Flowers verticilled ; corols five-cleft, funnel-shaped, with five glands below the filaments.
Exacum liy ssopifoUuni. Willd. 1. 640.
Tcling. Nella-gullie.
A small, erect plant, with an annual stem, and perennial roots ; a native of moist uncultivated grounds. It flowers during the wet season.
Root perennial, creeping, filiform. Stems herbaceous, simple, erect, from six to twelve inches high, four-sided, jointed. ieaj;es opposite approximated, cross armed, ses- sile, lanceolate, three-nerved, smooth, entire, one and a half or two inches long, by half an inch broad. Flowers axillary, sessile, generally three-fold, vertical-like, small, white. Corol funnel-form. Nectary, a swelled gland at the insertion of each filament. Filaments short. Anthers within the tube. Style single, length of the filaments. Stigma large, two-lobed.
2. G. cherayta. R. Fleming in Asiat. 11. p. 167. Herbaceous, straight. Leaves stem-clasping, lanceolate,
three or five-nerved. Flowers terminal. Corol rotate, four- cleft, tetrandrous. Capsules ovate, bifurcate.
Sans. Chirsita-tikta, Chzrataka, &c.
Beng. Chirata.
Calamus aromaticus of the Ancients.
This famous plant is said to be found on the mountains of Nepal, and the Morungs.
Root ramous, and probably perennial. Stems single, straight, round, smooth, jointed, above ramous ; branches generally decussated, nearly erect, with their extremities somewhat angular ; the whole height of the plant about three feet. Leaves opposite, stem-clasping, lanceolate, very acute, entire, smooth, three or five-nerved ; size va-
72 PKNTANDRIA DIGYNIA. CresStt.
rious. stipules none. Flowers yellow, most numerous, peduncled, the whole upper half of the plant forminji an elegant, oblong, leafy decussated panicle. Bractes two at each division of the panicle, and like the leaves, but smaller. Calyx four-cleft ; divisions linear, acute, perma- nent. Corol; border expanding, four-parted ; divisions as long as those of the calyx and also permanent. Sta- mina four. Anthers cloven at the base. Style single, as long as the germ. Stigma large, two-lobed. Capsules rather shorter than the permanent calyx, and corol, one- celled, two-valved, opening a little at the apex. Seeds numerous, affixed to two receptacles adhering to the sides of the valvelets.
Note. When I refer this plant to the genus Gentiana I am guided by the capsule chiefly, otherwise I might probably have placed it with the Exacums.
An infusion, or decoction of the whole plant, pulled up by the root, about the time the flowers begin to decay and the capsules are well formed, is much used by the na- tives of Bengal, and the adjoining provinces, as a tonic. It appears to me to be a pure bitter, although it gives signs of astringency with a chalybeate. Its febrifuge vir- tues are in high estimation amongst both natives and Eu- ropeans, and I think very deservedly. Our medical gentle- men prescribe it in the same manner, and with the same intention, particularly when Peruvian Bark is difficult to be obtained.
CRESS A. Schreh. gen. w. 439.
Calyx five-leaved. Corol campanulate, with stamens inserted into the bottom of the tube. Capsule superior, two- celled, wrth from one to four seeds in each. C. indica. Willd. 1. 1320.
Annual, erect, ramous, hoary. Leaves alternate. Flow- ers terminal, sessile. Apices of the segments of the corol bearded. Capsule bearded, four-seeded.
Nama. pentandria digynia. 73
A small, erect, ramous annual, a native of sandy, salt lands near the sea. It flowers during the wet season.
Stem nearly erect, from six to eight inches high, hairy. Branches numerous, ascending, alternate, hairy. Leaves alternate, very numerous, sessile, the lower, or larger cor- date ; the upper or smaller ovate, and lanceolate ; all are hairy, soft, and very small. Flowers terminal, sessile, small, numerous, white. Bractes like the leaves. Calyx as in C. cretica. Corol ; f?<6e campanulate. Segments re- volute, outside of their apices hairy, withering. Anthers oblong, incumbent. Germ, its apex woolly. Stigma large, globular. Capsules four-seeded.
NAM A. Schreh. gen. n. 444.
CaZi/a- five-leaved. Coro? rotate, five-parted. Capsules, superior, one-celled, two-valved, receptacle columnar. Seeds numerous.
N. Zeylanica Linn. sp. pi. 327.
Annual, creeping. Leaves lanceolate. Hydrola zeyla- nica. Willd, 1. 1327. Vahl symb. 2. 46.
Sans. Langali.
Beng. Kanchra Isha-langwlya.
Tsjeru-vallel. Rheed. Mai 10. t. 28.
An annual ; a native of moist, or marshy ground, such as rice fields. Flowering time, the cold season.
Stems or branches many, creeping, round, pretty smooth, from one to four feet long. Leaves alternate, short-petiol- ed, lanceolate, entire, smooth. Flowers, numerous about the extremities of the branchlets, or solitary, opposite to the leaves or between them ; colour a deep bright blue. Calyx one-leaved, divided to near the bottom into five, long, narrow, pointed, hairy permanent di- visions. Corol five-petalled, longer than the calyx. Fila. me/ifs shorter than the corol. J w^/ters sagitate. Styles two, spreading.
74 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. PauaX,
PANAX. Schreh. gen. n. 1604.
Calyx five-toothed. Corol five-petalled. Germ two- celled; cells one-seeded, attachment superior. Berry infe- rior, two-seeded. Embryo inverse, and furnished with a perisperm.
1, P. palmatum. R.
Shrubby, armed. Leaves palmate, serrate. It is found indigenous in the moist vallies between the hills over the province of Chittagong, where it blossoms about the close of the rains in September.
Stem in healthy plants now three years old, in the Bo- tanic Garden at Calcutta, three feet high, and as thick as a stout walking cane, very completely armed with numerous, straight, acute, brittle prickles ; and on the tender young parts mixed with much appressed, short, harsh, ferruginous pubescence, which disappears by the time the parts become ligneous. Branches few and like the stem. Leaves alternate, petioled, nearly round, pal- mate, serrulate, smooth and firm ; when very young densely clothed with ferruginous down ; lobes from three- angular to broad-lanceolate, acute ; length and breadth of the whole leaf about twelve inches, say from six to eighteen. Petioles nearly as long as the leaves, unarmed, columnar base thick or somewhat stem-clasping, and a small acute, stipulary process on each side. Racemes lateral, solitary, bearing from twenty to thirty, diverging, peduncled, globular urabellets, of small white flowers. Bractes tern at the base of each peduncle ; some smaller on the peduncles and one still smaller under the insertion of each pedicel on their little globular receptacle ; they are all ferruginous. Calyx minute, and minutely five- toothed. Petals five, lanceolar, spreading. Filaments five, alternate with the petals, and rather longer. Anthers o- vate, two-lobed. Germ inferior, turbinate, two-celled, with one cvula in each, attached to the very top of the partition. Style short. Stigma bidentate.
Panax, pentandria digynia. 75
2. P. digitatum. R.
Arboreous, armed. Leaves digitate ; leaflets entire, lanceolate, acuminate. Pawtc/es pendulous. It is theSoo- nath, or Kota-soona of the Hindus about Silhet, where the tree is indigenous and flowers in May, and produces seed in November.
It is a pretty large tree, w ith numerous branches spread- ing in all directionSjthe younger ones armed with innumer- able, short, somewhat incurved, very sharp aculei, which fall off" with the exterior coat of the bark. Leaves alter- nate, about the ends of the branchlets, digitate. Leaflets generally seven, petiolate, oblong, and broad-lanceolate, entire, smooth, acuminate ; from three to six inches long. Petioles from ten to fifteen inches long, round, smooth, and unarmed. Petiolets from one to two inches long. Panicles terminal, from two to four feet long, pendulous, and composed of many, alternate, simple, globular, long- pedicelled, small greenish-yellow flowers. Commonpediin- cle armed ; partial or pedicells, with some little scaly brac- tes ; all are round, and somewhat downy. Calyx five- parted ; rfwmows ensiform. Petals Hye, oblong, patent. Filaments five, rather shorter than the petals, inserted be- tween them into a fleshy, crenate, poculiform body which embraces the germ. Anthers two-lobed. Germ sunk in the solid body just mentioned, two-celled, with one ovula in each, attached to the top of the partition. Style two, shorter than the stamina, coalesced. Stigma simple. Berry inferior, nearly round somewhat succulent, black, smooth, widely crowned with the remaining five-toothed calyx ; size of a black currant, and not unlike one, two- celled. Seed solitary, hemispheric, a small groove down the middle of the inside, covered with a single, rather tough, smooth integument. Perisperm conform to the seed, cartilaginous. Embryo small, inverse, lodged on the out- side of the upper half of the perisperm. Cotyledons small, oblong. Radicle oblong, superior.
J 2
76 PENTANDRIA DiGYNiA. Panax.
3. p. fragrans. R.
Arboreous, unarmed. Leaves supra-decompound ; leaf- lets obovate oblong, acuminate sub-entire, smooth. Pa- nicles terminal.
Gootee-soona is the vernacular name of it in Silhet, where it grows to be a middling sized tree. Its immense panicles of fragrant blossoms appear in October and November, and the seed ripens in February and March.
ieat;€5 alternate, approximate, oppositely supra-decom- pound, from two to four feet long. Leaflets ovate-oblong, entire, except in young plants, then remotely and very sharply serrulate, all rather obtusely acuminate, and smooth ; from two to six inches long, and about half that in breadth. Petioles perfectly round, polished ; base sheathing, and swelled. Panicles terminal, immensely large, and composed of numerous compound branches of short peduncled, globular urabellets of small fragrant flowers, embraced by a minute, ferruginous mealy invo- lucre. Calyx superior, five-toothed. Petals five, spread- ing, oblong-lanceolate, a ridge down the middle on the inside. Filaments five, alternate with, and longer than the petals. Anthers ovate. Germ inferior, two-celled, with the ovula in each attached from its upper end to the partition. Styles two, short, woolly. Stigma simple. Berries two-lobed, a little flattened, two-celled, size of two small peas joined. Seed solitary, attached as in the germ. Perisperm conform to the seed. Embryo minute, lodged almost transversely in the apex of the perisperm, with the point of the radicles a little elevated towards the umbilicus.
4. P. fructicosum. Willd. 4. 1127.
Shrubby. Leaves supra-decompound ; leaflets lanceo- late, acutely serrate, often laciniate. Umbellets globu- lar, forming terminal panicles.
Scutellaria tertia. Rumph. amb. vol. 4. t. 33.
L .ft Panax. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 77
This elephant erect shrub, was introduced into the Bo- tanic Garden near Calcutta from the Moluccas in 17J)8, and in April 1800 blossomed for the fust time. There were only two plants originally, and both completely hermaphrodite.
Trunk straight, but short, soon dividing into many branches ; general height from five to eight feet. Bark dark coloured, with many small, ash-coloured, sca- brous dots. Leaves alternate, recurved, supra-decom- pound ; from ten to fifteen inches long. Pinna and low- er pair of Pinnuloi opposite ; there are generally about six pair of the former, but the number of the latter is ve- ry unequal. Leaflets lanceolate, often variously laciniate, serrate ; serratiires ending in subulate, inoffensive points, smooth on both sides. Petioles stem-clasping, round, smooth, maculated, jointed, and swelled at the jointg. Inflorescence may, I think it should, be called a termi- nal panicle, composed of numerous, small subrotund simple umbellets. Involucres most minute, caducous. Perianth small, generally five-toothed, permanent. Pe- tals five, linear, first spreading, then reflexed. Fila- ments five, alternate with, but shorter than the petals. Anthers oblong. Germ inferior, generally two-lobed though sometimes three. Styles short, two or three ac- cording as there are lobes in the germ. Berry two or three-lobed, small, lead-coloured. The pulp stains pa- per of a dark violet colour. Seeds one in each lobe of the bery. It is readily propagated from cuttings and suckers.
5. P. conchifolium. R.
Shrubby, Leaves simple, round-cordate, acutely ser- rate, concave.
Scutellaria. Rumph. amb. 4. f . 31 .
A pretty large, very erect, smooth shrub, a native of the Moluccas, from thence introduced by way of Madras in-.
.7S PKNTANDRiA DiGYNiA. StroemeHa,
to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta Avhere is grows freely during the hot and rainy season ; but when the cold wea- ther of December and January sets in sharp, it generally loses nearly as much, during those two months, as it gains the rest of the year. It is curious and ornamental on ac- count of the large, lucid, deep green, concave, or ladle- shaped leaves.
STROEMERIA. Vahl Symh. 1. 19.
Corol four-pe tailed, or none. Calyx four-leaved. Nec- tary ligulato-infundibuliform. Germ one-celled, many seeded. Berry pedicelled, many-seeded.
1. S. tetrandra. Willd. 1. 993.
Shrubby. Leaves linear-oblong. Corol four-petalled ; nectary infundibuliform. Stamina four.
Cleome fruticosa. Linn. sp. pi. 957. Burm. ind. t. 46. /.3.
Teling. Chemoorda.
A large straggling, very ramous shrub ; a native of old walls, dry barren ground, &c. It flowers during the great- er part of the year.
Stem scarcely any, but woody branches innumerable, with the extremities often drooping. Leaves alternate, short-petioled, oblong, or broad-lanceolate, entire, an inch and a half long.
Stipules minute. Racemes terminal, few-flowered, downy. Bractes awlcd, solitary. Calyx four-leaved ; leaflets oval, expanding, greenish white. Petals four, long- clawed, equal, oval, waved, sub-erect ; two placed lateral- ly, and two above. Nectary tubular, erect, about as long as the claws of the petals ; inserted into the upper side of the base of the pedicels of the germ, and stamens ; mouth oblique, widening, jagged. Filaments four, awled, ascend- ing, inserted into the middle of the pedicel, or column that
Stroemeria. pentandria. digynia. 79
supports the germ. Anthers oval, two-parted at the base. Germ oblonjr, sitting on the extremity of a long, ascend- ing pedicel. Style none. Stigma simple. Pericarp a si- liqua,subcylindric, pendulous, replete with firm, orange- coloured pulp, in which the seeds are immersed. Seeds several, kidney-tbrm.
2. S. trifoliata. R.
Shrubby. Leaves ternate. Flowers two-petalled, hex- androus.
A native of Kootullum, where it was found by Dr. Ber- ry, growing to the height of ten feet, with long, unarmed, weak branches.
Leaves alternate, ternate. Leaflets lanceolate, entire, smooth, about two inches long, and rather more than half an inch broad. Petioles scarcely half the length of the leaflets. Stipules subulate. Racemes terminal, from five to ten-flowered, villous. Flowers large, on lono- vil- lous, patent pedicels- Bractes minute, subulate, gene- rally three under the insertion of each pedicel. Calyx of two opposite pairs of ovate, oblong, veined leaflets, the exterior pair larger, the inner more deeply coloured. Pe- tals two, large, round, pure white, beautifully veined and elevated on claws nearly as long as the petals themselves which ascend opposite to the pedicel of the fructification. Nectarium horn-shaped, rising to a curve, just within the claws of the petals, and shorter than them ; mouth per- forated, and ornamented with a large, reflected border like a rufile, colour a bright yellow. Filaments six, elevated on a long ascending pedicel, opposite to and as long as the claws of the petals, nearly erect, and about as long as the pedicel which supports them. Anthers linear, erect, opening on the side. Germ elevated rather above the anthers, on a second pedicel, or stipe, linear, one-celled, with two longitudinal rows of ovula attached to the in- side ol both sutures as in the siliquous plants. Style none.
80 pENTANDRiA DiGYNiA. HoUgama.
stigma large, convex. Capsules berried, siliquosei- subcy- lindric, about as thick as a goose quill, and nearly two inches long, one-celled, two-valved. 5eeds a few ; reni- form, attached, as in the germ.
HOLIGARNA. R.
Polygamous. Ca/yji: five-toothed. Pe/«/s five, germ one-celled ; ovula single, attachment lateral. Berry infe- rior, one-seeded. Embryo transverse, without perisperra.
1. H. longifoUa. R.
Cattu-tsjeru, or Kattou-tjeroe. Rheed. Mai 4. p. 19 ^9.
Leaves alternate, cuneiform, some inoffensive subulate bodies on the inside of the short petiole. Flowers pani- cled.
A large tree, a native of the mountainous parts of Chittagong, where it blossoms in January. Seed ripe in May and June.
Dr. Buchanan first found the male tree in Chittagong, and some years after found the female hermaphrodite in Malabar, and gave it the name Holigariia, from its ap- pellation in the language of Kurnata. He thinks it is the variety called Bibo of the Cattu-tsjeru, Rheed. Mai. 4. t. 9. And says the natives of Malabar by incision, extract an exceedingly acrid juice, with which they varnish their targets. I am however inclined to consider Van. Rheed's Cattu-tsjeroe to be this very tree, and his Bibo, or Tsjeeroo, vol. 4. p. 20. to be Semecarpus Anacardium. Trunk straight, in a twelve years old male tree ten inches in circumference. Bark smooth, ash-coloured. Branches patent ; height of the whole tree twenty-five feet. In its native soil the trunk attains to the thick- ness of six feet in circumference ; while the total height of the tree is above fifty. Leaves alternate, crowded a-
HoUgarna. pentandria digynia. 81
bout tHe ends of the branchlets, short-petioled, narrow, cuneiform, entire, acute, smooth on both sides, but paler underneath ; length one or two feet, and the breadth from three to six inches. Petioles short and thick, and arm- ed generally with two subulate, inoffensive, incurved, thorn-like bodies on each side of the margin. Stipules no other than the last mentioned subulate bodies, on the petioles.
Male. Panicles axillary, single, much shorter than the leaves. F/oi<;ers numerous, small, dull white. Bractes small, ferruginous. Calyx five-sided ; angles somewhat sharp. Corol flat, to the base five-parted, or it may be called five-petalled. Segments oblong, villous. Filaments five, shorter than the corol. Anthers incumbent.
Female-Hermaphrodite on a separate tree. Pani- cles, hractes, calyx, and corol as in the male. Stamina as in the male, but much smaller, and with minute, seem- ingly abortive anthers. Germ inferior, a little hairy, with one compressed cell containing one compressed ovula, at- tached to one side of the top of its cell. Styles three, re- curved. Stigmas crescent-shaped, a little hairy. Berry inferior, naked, exactly ovate, a little compressed, size of a large olive, smooth, when ripe yellow, one-celled, e- valvular. Cortex rather thick, and containing between its soft lamina, numerous cells, filled with a black, rather thick, acrid fluid as in the common marking nut, or Ana- cardium. Seed conform to the berry. Integument single, membranaceous. Perisperm none. Embryo conform to the seed, transverse. Cotyledons equal, ovate, yellow- ish. Corcle lateral. Plumula hairy, acute. Radicle ob- long, inverse, attached to one edge of the cotyledons, considerably below their apex and corresponding with the attachment of the ovula in the germ.
K
8S PENTANDRiA DiGYNiA. HoUgama.
2. H. racemosa, R. t
Leaves alternate, linear-oblong. Flowers racemed.
Am-jour the vernacular name in Silhet where it is indigenous on the hills of that province, and grows to be a large tree. It flowers in M arch, and the fruit ri- pens in May, June and July. Branches and hranchlets very numerous, the bark of the former ash-coloured and rather rough ; of the latter, smooth, and void of pubes- cence. Leaves alternate, petioled, lanceolar and linear, oblong, entire, obtusely acuminate, of a hard texture, glossy on the upper surface or rather glaucous underneath ; from four to eight inches long, from one to three broad. Petioles less than an inch in length, smooth, channel- led.
Male flowers I have found on a separate tree by them- selves collected on little lateral, and terminal villous racemes, small, much crowded, olive-coloured. Calyx five- toothed. Petals live, ovate. Filaments five, alternate with the petals, and with them inserted on the receptacle. An. thers ovate. Germ none. Hermaphrodite racemes as in the male but less crowded with flowers. Calyx superior, five-parted, permanent. Corol as in the male. Filament short. Anthers of tw o distinct lobes. Germ inferior, oval, one-celled, containing a single ovula, attached to one side of the cell a little above the middle. Style single, very short. Stigma capitate. Berry, the size of a large olive, obliquely, and transversely oval, smooth, when ripe red, pulp in considerable quantity, the fibrous pores contain a pale coloured acrid, thick juice as in Semecar^ pus, one- celled, one-seeded. Seeds transversely oval. Perisperm none. Embryo transverse. Cotyledons con- form to the seed, equal. Plumula two-toothed, fringed. Radicle short, truncate lateral, directly within the umbi- licus.
Semecarpus. pentandria digynia. 83*
SEMECARPUS. Scherh. gen. n. 501.
Crt/yx five-parted. CoroZ five-petalled. Germ one-cell- ed, one-seeded, attachment superior. Nut superior, cor- date, cellular, one-seeded, sittinj^ on a large, fleshy pear- shaped receptacle. Embryo inverse without perisperni.
1. S. Anacardium. Corom. pi. 1. No. 12. Willd. 1. It76.
Polygamous. Leaves cuneiform, downy underneath. Panicles terminal.
Sans. Arifshkara, also Bhela.
Beng. Bhela, Bhola-twki, or Bela-twki.
Eng. Marking Nut.
Teling. Nella-jedee.
Anacardium of the Materia Medica.
A tree, bearing male or male-hermaphrodite flowers on one and hermaphrodite on another ; which circumstance might remove it from the fifth, to the twenty-third class of the Linnasan system. It is a native of all the moun- tainous parts of India; flowering time from May to Au- gust. Seed ripe in January and February.
Dr. Konig, my predecessor, who was the first that described this tree, had never met with the male, other- wise so particular a circumstance would not have been omitted by so accurate a describer as the Doctor was.
Trunk straight, covered with grey, scabrous bark, the bark of the younger parts smooth, light ash-coloured, its inner substance contains in crevices, a quantity of white, soft, almost insipid gum. Branchlefs numerous, spreading, ieare.s about the extremities of thebranchlets, alternate, petioled, somewhat wedge-formed, or oblong- obovate rounded at the apex, entire, firm above, pretty smooth, yet harsh, whitish underneath ; from nine to eighteen inches long and from four to eight broad. Pe- Holes one and a half, or two inches long, half round. Pa-
K 2
84 PENTANDRiA DiGYNiA. Semecarpus,
nicies terminal, very large, composed of many simple spikes ; that of the male tree much slenderer, but as large, or larger, and with ramouse branches. Bractes ma- ny, small, caducous. Flowers numerous, small, of a dull greenish yellow colour.
Hermaphrodite as in the supplementum plantarum. Page 25 and 182. Pericarp none. Receptacles erect, fleshy, pear-shaped, smooth, when ripe yellow, about the size of the nut. Seed a single nut resting upon the recep- tacle, cordate, flattened on both sides, smooth, shining, black ; the cover or shell of the seed is composed of two la- mina; the inner one hard, the outer one less so, and lea- thery; between them are cells which contain the black cor- rosive resinous juice which has long 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 hermaphrodite.
Calyx, and Coi'ol as in the hermaphrodite. Filaments five, the length of the petals. Anthers much larger than in the hermaphrodite. Pistillum none, or small and abor- tive, and in form of a semi-globular, hairy, glandular body.
The wood of this tree is reckoned of no use, not only on account ol its softness, but also on account of its con- taining much acrid juice, which renders it dangerous to cut down and work upon it. The fleshy receptacle on which the seed rests are roasted in the ashes, and eaten by the natives ; the taste is exceedingly like that of roast- ed apples. Before roasted they are astringent, and acrid ; leaving a painful sensation on the tongue for some time. The kernels are rarely eaten.
The green nuts well pounded into a pulp make good lime.
The pure black, acrid juice of the cells is employed by the natives externally to remove rheumatic pains, aches^
Semecarpus. pentandria digynia. 85
and sprains. A little is well rubbed over the part affect- ed. But in tender constitutions it often produces infla- mation and swellini^, doing much more harm than good ; but I think where it has not this disagreeable effect, which is generally the case, it is an efficacious remedy. It is universally employed to mark, all sorts of cotton cloth. The colour is improved, prevented from run- ning, and fixed by a mixture of quick lime and water. The juice or resinous balsam, is not soluble in water, and is only difi'usable in spirits of wine, for it soon falls to the bottom, unless the menstruum be previously alka- lized ; the solution is then pretty complete, and of deep black colour. It sinks in but soon unites perfectly with expressed oils. Alkaline livixia act upon it with no better success than plain water.
It is employed by the Telinga Physicians for the cure of almost every sort of venereal complaint, and is com- monly prepared as follows :
Take of this black balsam, and expressed juice of garlic, each one ounce. Expressed juice of fresh Tama- rind-tree leaves ; cocoanut oil and sugar, of each two ounces ; mix and boil them for a few minutes. A table spoonful is given to the patient twice a day. I know nothing of the efficacy of this composition.
The bark is mildly astringent, gives out in decoction a deep colour, which dies brown of various shades.
From wounds made in the bark,a dirty looking, brown- ish soft gum is procured, which dissolves slowly in the mouth without much taste.
2, S. Cassuvium. R.
Leaves alternate, lanceolar, entire and very smooth. Nut resting on a depressed fleshy, broad turbinate recep- tacle.
Cassuvium silvestre. Humph, amb. 1. t. 70.
A native of the Moluccas, from thence introduced into
86 pENTANDRiA DiGYNiA. Semecarpus.
the Botanic Garden at Calcutta in 1798, and in August, 3 804, they blossomed for the first time, when they were handsome^ small trees, about twelve feet in height, with many smooth ascending branches, and branchlets.
Leaves alternate, short-petioled, lanceolate, entire and very smooth on both sides ; length from ten to eighteen inches, and from three to tive broad. Petioles from one to two inches long, round, and smooth. Stipules none. Panicles terminal, thin, long-ovate, smooth. Bractes minute, caducous. Flowers numerous, small, greenish- yellow, and inodorous. Calyx saucer-shaped, five-tooth- ed. Petals five, ovate, spreading. Nectary a yellow fleshy ring round the base of the germ, which becomes the fleshy receptacle of the seed. Filaments five, rather broad, length of ihe germ, inserted round the base of the necta- ry. Germ superior, roundish, one-celled, containing one ovula attached to the top of the cell. Styles\hxee, spread- ing. Stigmas two-toothed. iVi^f resting on the large smooth, yellow, fleshy, cup-shaped receptacle, obliquely-obverse, reniform, one celled, one valved, considerably compress- ed, longitudinally striated and wrinkled, colour a brown- ish black, and of a firm leathery consistence, composed of an exterior, and interior integument, with numerous small cells between. Seed single, completely filling the nut, covered with a single brown integument. Perisperm none. Embryo inverse. Cotyledons two, conform to the seed. Plumula two-lobed. Radicle conical, superior, that is, lodged between the most elevated part of the co- tyledons, and at the greatest distance from the umbili- cus, or base of the nut.
3. S. cuneifolia. R.
Leaves wedge-shaped, short-petioled, villous under- neath.
A native of the range of mountains which bounds Hindoosthan on the north, from thence seeds were sent
Bosea. pentandria digynia. 87
to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, where the tree grows slowly ; the heat of Bengal being, I presume, too great lor this species.
OPILIA. R.
Calyx five-toothed. Corol five-pet ailed. Nectarial scales alternate with the ^fomenfs. Style none. Berry superior, one-seeded.
0. amentacea. Corom. pi. 2. N. 158. Teling. Balee-koma.
A. small tree, a native of the mountainous parts of the Circars-
Leaves alternate, biforious, short-petioled, ovate, or oblong, entire, smooth, shining, sometimes very slightly serrulate, about three inches long, and one and a half broad. Stipules none. Aments axillary, small, erect, before the flowers open, every where closely imbricated with small, peltate, kidney-shaped, pointed, ciliate, cadu- cous three-flowered scales. Flowers small, greenish- white, tern. Calyx, perianth proper, very small, five- toothed. Petals five, spreading, oblong. Nectary, five short, thick, fleshy, clubbed bodies alternate with the stamens. Filaments five, spreading, shorter than the petals. Anthers oxdiie. Germ superior, oblong. Style none. Stigma single. Berry size of a cherry, globular, juicy, one-seeded.
BOSEA. Calyx five-leaved. C'oro^none. Berry superior, one- seeded.
1. B. frinervia K.
Arboreous. Leaves oval, pointed, entire, three-nerved. Male flowers under the hermaphrodite ones.
A large tree ; a native of the Circar mountains. Bark pretty smooth, and brown. Leaves alternate, bifarious,
88 PENTANDRIA DiGYNiA. Hydrocotyk.
short-petioled, ovate, pointed, three-nerved, smooth, en- tire ; when young a little downy, about five inches long, and two and a half broad. Stipules filiform, hairy, ca- ducous. Racemes axillary, slender, erect, sometimes compound, but generally simple. The hermaphrodite flowers always above the male.
Hkrm APHRODITE. Calyx or corol five-leaved; leaflets spreading, oval. Filaments ^ve, spreading, shorter than the pistil. Anthers incumbent. Germ superior, ovate. Styles tvfo, erect. Stigmas simipile. Berry ovscte, size of a cherry, cne-seeded.
M-AhE flowers on the same raceme, below the herma- phrodite ones. Calyx and stamina as above. Pistil, not the least rudiment of one.
HYDROCOTYLE. Sckreb. gen. n. 457- Umbel simple. Involucre from two to four-leaved. Pe- fals entire, fruit compressed, gibbous, tvvo-partible.
1. H. asiatica. Willd. 1. 1362.
Creeping in shady places. Leaves long-petioled, reni- form, dentate. Umbellets from the joints, two or more to- gether, short-peduncled, three or four-flovvered. Involucre two-four leaved.
Codagen. Rheed. mat. 10. t. 46.
Hind. Thwl-kwra.
It is common in moist shady places over India, and ap- pears with most luxuriance during the rains, when it blos- soms and ripens its seed.
2. H. rotundifolia. R.
Filiform, creeping. iea?;e5 long-petioled, round, lobate, crenate, smooth. Umbellets erect, from eight to ten flow- ered. Involucre of three, four or more minute leaflets.
A. small creeping species, found in wet, cultivated
Vahlia. pEntandria digynia. 89
spots in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta during the rains.
VAHLIA. Schreb. gen. n. 452. Calyx five.leaved. Carol five-petalled. Capsule in- ferior, one-celled, many seeded.
1. V, oldenlandioides. R.
Annual, erect, ramous. Leaves linear, lanceolate. Pe- duncles solitary, two-flowered.
Oldenlandia pentandra. Willd. 1. 676. Retz. obs. 4. n. 64.
A native of cultivated lands on the coast of Coroman- del ; it appears only during the cold season.
Stem erect, annual, round, jointed, ramous, a little downy, about a foot high. Leaves opposite, sessile, spread- ing, linear, lanceolate, entire, downy ; about an inch long. Peduncles axillary, solitary, erect, rather shorter than the leaves, each bearing two small, yellow flowers. Petals nearly as large as the calyx. Capsule crowned with the calyx, one-celled, opening at the apex. Re- ceptacles two, affixed by the apex. Seeds numerous.
I believe Konig called this plant Cyrilla Oldenlan- dioides.
4
2. V. viscosa. R.
Annual, sub-erect, ramous, downy, and clammy, Leaves lanceolate. Peduncles two-fold, very short, one flower- ed.
Oldenlandia digyna. Willd. 1. 674. Retz. obs. 4. n. 65.
A native of the same places with the former, and ap- pears during the same season.
Stem not so straight as that of the former, less branchy, shorter, more downy, and a little glutinous. Leaves oppo- site, sessile, from lanceolate to linear ; all are entire, pointed, and downy ; from half an inch to an inch long.
90 PENTANDRIA DiGYNiA. Ligustieum,
stipules none. Flowers paired, axillary, very short- peduncled, small, yellow.
The rest as in the genus.
This is, I think Kouig's Cijrilla viscosa.
DAUCUS Schreh. gen. n. 466.
Corollets sub-radiated, all hermaphrodite. Fruit his- pid with hairs.
D. Carota. Willd. 1. 1389.
Seeds hispid. Petioles nerved underneath.
Sans. Gr/njana or Gargara.*
Hind, and Beng. Gajwr.
Persian. Zerduk.
Arab. Istufleen or Gazir.
It is said to be a native of Persia. In India it is only found in a cultivated state.
FERRULA. Sckreb. gen. n. 475.
Fruit oval, flat, compressed, with three strias on each side.
F. Asiafoelita. Willd. 1. 1413.
Leaves alternately sinuate, obtuse.
Beng. Hing.
Pers. and Arab. Unjudan.
Native of Persia. It does not appear that this valuable plant has ever been found in any part of India, or to the east of that country.
LIGUSTICUM. Schreb. gen. n. 478.
Umbelliferous, with both universal, and partial invo- lucres. Fruit oblong, five-furrowed on both sides. Co- rollets, equal, all fertile, with petals involute and entire.
* I fiud no authority for these Sungskrit names. — W. C.
Ligusticum. pentandria digynia. 91
1. L. Ajowan. R. Fleming in Asiat. Res. 11. 170.
Annual, erect. Leaves supra-decompound, with liliform leaflets. Ridges and furrows of the seed distinct, and scabrous.
Sans. Bruhmadurbha., Ywvanzka, &c.
Hind. &) Beng. Ajouan^ Ajwan, or Jouan.
This is one of the most useful and at the same time grateful of the umbelliferous tribe. It is much cultivat- ed in Bengal, during the cold season. I never saw it wild.
Root annual. Stem erect, the whole plant from one to three feet high ; branches, alternate, smooth, and slightly striated. Leaves sparse ; those nearest the base of the plants supra-decompound; the superior, less so ; all have smooth, filiform subdivisions, or leaflets. Uin- hels terminal, erect, compound, universal, of from six to eight rays, on rather unequal peduncles, partial, of many rays, on unequal pedicels. Calyx ; involucres universal, and partial, from five to eight, linear, unequal, shorter than the umbels, and umbellets, permanent. Proper perianth superior, most minute. Corol, universal uni- form. Corollets pure white, all equal, hermaphrodite, and fertile. Proper of five equal petals, furrowed on the back, and keeled within, with involute apexes and broad waved, rather reflected margins. Stamens as long as the petals. Anthers reddish. Fruit didymous, or two seeds united, of a compressed, broad, ovate form, with five scabrous ridges on each side.
I can scarcely imagine that this very famous Indian plant is unknown to our European Botanists ; at the same time I cannot find any one of the whole natural order hitherto described to which I can refer it unless it be Bunium, aromaticum. I do not find that it was known to Dr Konig, nor did I ever see it but in Bengal,
The seeds, like those of caraway, have an aromatic smell, and warm pungent taste ; they are much used by
L2
92 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. ClWlinum.
both natives and Europeans, for culinary, and medicinal uses ; they are among the smallest of the umbelliferous orders, and are to be met with in every market in India.
2. L. diffusum. R.
Annual, diftuse. Leaves decompound, and supra-de- compound. Furrows of the seeds deep, and smooth. Involucres, and involucles with membranous ciliate mar- gins.
Beng. Jwnglee-ajouan.
It is found wild in the vicinity of Calcutta, during the cold, and the beginning of the hot season ; it delights in shady moist places.
Root ramous. Stems and branches diffuse, flexuose, striated, dichotomous, from one to two feet long, slight- ly hairy. Leaves alternate, long-petioled, decompound, and supra-decompound, divisions variously formed, and jagged, a few small hairs over them and the pe- tioles. Umbels leaf-opposed, and terminal, compound. Universal and partial of from twelve to twenty-four rays, on nearly equal peduncles, and pedicels. Calyx ; involu- cres universal and partial, of from six to eight, sub-mem- branous, linear-lanceolate, ciliated, spreading, reflect- ed leaflets. Perianth, corol, &c. as in L. ajowan. Fruit of a compressed, rounded shape, with five smooth ridges on each side.
The seed is used as a medicine for cattle.
CUMINUM. Schreh. gen. n. 483.
Fruit ovate, striate. Umbellets and Involucres four- cleft.
C. Cyminum. Will. 1. 1440. Hind, and Beng. Zeera or Jeera. Sans. Jeera, Jeeruka.
Coriandrum, pentandria digynia. 93
Arab. Kimoon.
A Native of Persia, &c. and the western parts of Asia.
. PHELLANDRUM. Schreb. gen.n.m5.
Umbelliferous, no universal involucre ; partial one, many-leaved. Florets equal, all fertile. Fruit ovate, smooth, crowned with the calyx, and styles.
P. stoloniferum. R.
Stoloniferous, erect. Inferior leaves bipinnate ; supe- rior quinate, and ternate ; leaflets lanceolate, serrate.
Beng. Pan-t«<rasee.
A native of Bengal, and found flourishing in, and on the margins of sweet water, about the beginning of the hot season.
Roots running, fistulous, jointed, emitting fibres and long creeping stolones from the joints. Stem erect, striat- ed, fistulous, winding; from two to four feet high. Leaves^ the inferior ones composed of one or two lateral pairs of ternate, and a terminal quinate portion; the superior ones, quinate and ternate. Xea^efs lanceolate, smooth, serrate. Umbels leaf-opposed, long-peduncled, convex, many-ray- ed. Umbellets convex, many-rayed with involucles of many shortish, linear leaflets. Calyx ; perianth proper of five, large, conspicuous toothlets. Corol proper, five-petalled, uniform, white, ovate, with long, inflect- ed points. Fruit obovate, smooth, crowned as in the ge- nus.
I do not find that the natives make any use of any part of this plant ; its taste, both seeds and leaves is some- what aromatic, but not palatable.
CORIANDRUM. Sckreb. gen. n. 488, Corol radiated. Petals inflex, emarginate. Universal involucre one-leaved ; partial ones halved. Fruit sphe- rical.
94 PENTANDRIA DiGYNiA. Anethum.
C. sativum. Willd. 1. 1448.
Sans. Dh2myMka.
Beng. Dhwnya.
N. Danga.
Cultivated over India during the cold season.
SESELI. Schreb. gen. n. 492.
Umbelliferous ; umbellets globular ; universal involucre none, partial one subulate. Fruit ovate, striated.
S. bengalensis. R.
Erect. Leaves bipinnate, or more ; leaflets gashed. Um- bels leaf-opposed. Involucrets of several, sujulate leaf- lets.
Annual. It appears during the dry season upon the cool, moist, shady banks of ponds, &c.
Root annual. Stem erect, winding, piped, smooth, about a foot high. Leaves bipinnate, or more. Leaflets smooth, gashed, variously formed. Umbels leaf-opposed, short- peduncled, rigid, naked, from six to twelve-rayed, umbels lets subglobular, short-pedicelled. Involucrets linear, longer than the umbellets. Corollets all fertile, uniform. Petals ovate, inflected. Fruit nearly globular, crowned.
ANETHUM. Schreb. gen. n 496. Umbelliferous, with no involucre nor involucel. Carol- lets equal, all fertile, with entire involute petals. Fruit somewhat ovate, striated.
1. A. Panmori. R.
Annual, erect, ramous. Xe«ve5 supra-decompound. Um- bel of ten or twelve unequally elevated radiae. Fruit oblong, deeply-furrowed, but not winged.
Anethum. pentandria digynia. 95
Beng. Panrnwhwree.
Sans. Mwdhoorika.
Mayuri. See Asiat. Res. 11. 15(>.
Like Sowa this plant is cultivated in various parts of Bengal during the cold season for the seed, which the natives eat with their betle and also use in their curries. Seed time the close of the rains, about the end of Octo- ber. Harvest in March, when the plants perish.
Root white, nearly fusiform, and almost simple. Stem erect, raraous, from the base to the top, the branches also erect, round and smooth, with a uniform, pale, glau- cous tinge, and not striated as in Dill, and Sowa, the general height of the whole plant from two to four feet. Leaves alternate, scattered, supra-decompound, divisions round, tapering, smooth and filiform, but by no means so numerous as in A. FiBniculiim which this plant re- sembles. Umbzls terminal, rather concave, but not regular, the convex, from ten to thirty-flowered umbel- lets, of which there are generally from ten to twenty, standing on peduncles of very unequal lengths. Flowers small, bright, deep yellow. Petals long, ovate, with their apices rolled in. Stamens longer than the petals. Germ oblong. Styles scarcely any. Seeds exactly as in Anethum Fceniculum and with the same taste.
The seeds of this plant, for which it is cultivated, pos- sess a pleasant, warmish, very sweet taste, and aromatic smell so much like sweet fennel that I should certainly have thought them at most nothing but varieties of the same species, if 1 had not had both growing before me for several 3 ears in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta where plants of ^ FcBniculum reared from Europe seed do not blossom till the second year, during which period the leaves are bifari;)us, infinitely larger and more divided than in Panmuhuree, Mhich is an annual plant of only four or five months duration with the leaves at all times scattered, fewer and more remote.
96 PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. AnetflUm.
From myAnethum Sowa, Panmori differs very conspicu- ously in many respects, bwt the best mark is in the seeds. In this they are longer, less flattened and without any membranaceous rim, or border. In that, much flattened with a thin margin, like that of ^1. graveolens.
2. A. Sowa. R.
Annual. Leaves supra-decompound. Umbel of from five to fifteen radii, equally elevated. Seeds flat, with a membranous margin and three ribs on the back.
Sans. Mishreya.
Beng. Sowa, shuloopa, soolpa.
A native of Bengal, where it is cultivated for the seeds, which are much used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Time of culture the cold season.
Root annual, in fact of only a few months duration. Stem winding, ramous, smooth, striated with deeper and lighter green, and covered with a whitish bloom ; from two to three feet high. Leaves alternate, petioled, decom- pound, and supra-decompound, leaflets filiform, as in Fefi" nel. Petioles, their lower half sheathing. Umbels termi- nal, convex, without involucres or involucels. Calyx, proper, scarcely any. Corol, universal, uniform. Corollets yellow, all fertile and equal. Proper, petals ovate-oblong, inflected. Stamenslongex than the petals. Germ beneath, obovate. Styles scarcely any. Fruit oval, compressed, composed of two seeds each, with three ridges on its out- side, and surrounded with a membranaceous margin.
The seeds are to be met with in every market over India, they are much used by the natives in their curries, and also for medicinal uses.
3. A. trifoliatum- R.
Annual. Leaves ternate. Seeds reniform, slightly striat- ed. A native of the Circar vallies ; not cultivated.
Apium. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 97
APIUM. Schreb. gen. n. 499.
Involucre one or more leaved. Petals equal. Flow' ers all fertile. Fruit small, gibbous, ribbed. Style de- flexed. :•;. ., ...^ , , t^ Aj<
-^ Annual, glaucous, villous, superior leaflets filiform both -^A^E^ general and partial about six-leaved, ^'^*^'^kUsm
Betig. Chanoo, also Radliooni- '^'*' /'A'>
Hind. Ujmood, Ujmud. ^
I have only met with this plant in its cultivated state «
and it is often raised in our Gardens in India as a sub- stitute for parsley, A.petroselinum. It is cultivated over many parts of Bengal during the cold season, for the seed only, which the natives use in diet, and medicine ; the leaves they make no use of.
Root annual, white, penetrating deeply into the soil. Stem erect, flexuous, glaucous, slightly villous. Branches numerous, and like the stem ; height of the whole plant about three feet, ieaves alternate, petioled, decompound by ternary. Leaflets, of the lower leaves broad, variously and deeply cut ; of the superior ones narrower, ever to li- near, and often simple. Umbel, universal, generally of about six spreading rays ; in luxuriant plants these are sometinles proliferous ; partial, of from twelve to twenty. Involucre and Involucels of about six villous subulate leaflets. The first shorter than the rays ; the latter of nearly the same length. Flowers numerous, all fertile, white. Perianth scarcely any. Petals ovate, with a long, taper, inflected apex. Seed small, ovate, villous, gib- bous, and three-ribbed on the back.
M
98 PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. Rkus.
PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA.
RHUS. Schreb. geii. n. 502.
Ca/yx five-parted. C'oro/five-petallcd. Ggr»i superi- or, one-celled, one seeded, attachment, base and vertici. Drupe one-seeded. Embryo inverse, without perisperm.
1. H. succedaneum. Willd. 1. 1497.
Arboreous. Leaflets five pair, entire, oblong-lanceolate. Petioles simple. Berry oblique.
Arbor vernicifera spuria, &ic. Kosmpf. Amoen.794:. f. 795.
A small tree, in blossom, was received from Dr. Berry at Madras, into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta in April 1801, which came originally from China. It had not in March 1809 attained a greater height than about ten feet, so slowly does it grow, but it blossoms annually dur- ing the hot season and produces an abundance of fruit.
Trunk short, with but few, ascending branches, cover- ed with smooth ash-coloured bark. Leaves about the ends of the branches, alternate, unequally pinnate, from six to twelve inches long. Leaflets from four to six pair, op- posite, obliquely broad-lanceolate, long, taper-pointed, drooping, entire, perfectly smooth on both sides ; from three to four inches long, and about one inch broad. Pe- tioles round, and smooth. Panicles axillary or from the base of the naked branchlets of the present year's shoots, spreading, ovate, very ramous. Flowers small, very nu- merous, short- pedicelled, yellow. Bractes small, one- flowered. Calyx, here it may be said to consist of five- leaflets. Petals five, oblong, first spreading, but soon be- coming reflected back over the calyx. Nectary a five-lob- ed cup, as in the Rhanini, between the base of the germ, and the insertion of the petal and stamens. Filaments five, the length of the corol, erect, inserted, alternate with
Rhus. PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 99
the petals. Anthers ovate-oblong. Germ superior, coni- cal, one-celled, containing one ovula attached from its apex to the bottom of the cell. Style short. Stigma three- lobed. Drupe the size of a pea, obliquely-reniform.
2. R. Bucki-amela. R.
Arboreous. Leaves pinnate ; leaflets five-pair, ovate, serrate, villous ; exterior half of the petiole winged. Pa- nicle terminal. Berries orbicular, compressed, viscid.
Bucki-amela is the name under which it was sent from Nepal.
October, 1800. There are now many of the young trees in the Botanic Garden, in full blossom. The seeds were received from Nepal about two years ago. At present they are from six to twelve feet high, with an erect, soft, woody stem, and a few simple, ascending branches.
Note, in 1812. They scarcely ever grow larger.
Leaves alternate, pinnate, from one to two feet long. Leaflets from four to six pair, opposite, subsessile, ovate, oblong, serrate, pointed ; of a thick, firm texture ; villous on both sides, and whitish underneath ; from four to six inches long, and from two to three broad. Petioles round, somewhat villous, the exterior joint or two often winged. Panicles, a very large, expanding one termi- nates the branches, and single smaller onesspring from the exterior axills. Flowers numerous, small, pale yellowish green. Calyx, corol, stamina and pistillum as in the ge- nus ; the germ contains only a single ovula from the apex of which the umbillical cord proceeds to the bottom of the of the cell where its attachment is. Drupe the size of a pea, orbicular, compressed, when ripe, greenish-white, with a tinge of yellow near the apex and somewhat clammy. Nut smooth, dark brown, much compressed.
The berries or little drupes are covered with a very small portion of a pulpy envelope which is of a sharp, acid taste, and in Nepal, I am told, is much esteemed.
M 2
100 PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. TamaHx.
3. R. parviflorum. R.
Subarboreous ; all the tender parts very downy. Leaves ternate ; leaflets sessile, obovate, anterior margins ser- rate-crenate. Panicles terminal.
A small bushy tree, a native of Nepal from thence in- troduced into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta where it blossoms during the rainy season.
SAMBUCUS. Schreh. gen. n. 505. Calyx five-parted. Corol five-cleft. Berry three-seed- ed.
S. Ehiilus. Willd. 1. 1494.
Herbaceous. Leaflets from seven to nine, sessile, lan- ceolate, finely serrate. Stipules quatern (four on each side,) leafy, unequal. Cyines from three to six-parted.
A native of Rungpore in Bengal. It flowers during the rainy season. Its taste is simple herbaceous and has nothing of the ungrateful smell of the Europe plant. It may be a difl'erent species, though I cannot at present fix on a different character.
TAMARIX. Schreb. gen n. 510.
Calyx five -parted. Corol five-petalled. Germ superior, one-celled, many seeded, attachment parietal. Capsule one-celled, three-valved. Seed comose. Embryo centri- fugal ; no perisperm.
1. T. indica. K'on. Mss.
Arboreous. Panicles terminal, racemed. Style single and short. Anthers double, and crowned. T. Chinensis. Lour. Cochin Ch. 228. T. Articulata. Vahl. Sytnb. 2. 48. t. 32. Willd. 1. 1498. Sans. Jhavuka. Betig. Jhou^ Jhouca, Jhaoo.
Tamarix. pentandria trigynia. 101
This species grows to be a middling tree, is a native of sandy islands in large rivers or on their sandy banks, or in the vicinity of the sea, between Upara and Pan- tacota, on the coast of Coromandel. It flowers during the latter part of the rainy season.
Trunk often as thick as a man's body, from six to twelve feet high, generally crooked. Bark scabrous. Branches numerous spreading in every direction ; their bark greenish, with brown scabrous specks. Leaves mi- nute, sessile, pressing close to the branchlets ; on the ex- tremities of the young shoots, imbricated ; on those more advanced in size, more remote, occasioned by the increas- ing size of the branchlets. Flowers small, white, exceeding- ly numerous, collected on many terminal racemes forming a very large, beautifully drooping panicle. Bractes leaf- like, solitary, one-flowered. Filaments twice the length of the petals. Anthers four-lobed, with a terminal point. Sfi/le short, single, more than halfway three-cleft ; divisi- ons or stigmas recurved, feathery.
When it meets with a good soil, it has a very elegant appearance, particularly when in flower.
2. T. dioeca. R.
Dioecous, arboreous. Leaves short, obliquely truncat- ed. Panicles terminal. Miile flowers pentandrous. Fe- male with five abortive stamens.
Beng. Lai Jhou.
Picpula. Asiat. Res. 4. p. 268.
A native of the islands in the Ganges and of its banks above Sook-saugor, where it blossoms during the rains, at which period, in some situations, little more than the tops of the plants are to be seen above water. In our gardens it is in flower the greater part of the year and is highly ornamental.
Trunk short, covered with dark-coloured, cracked bark. Branches very numerous, spreading in every direction
102 PENTANDRiA TRiGYNiA. PJiamaceum.
with their extremities drooping. Leaves tubular, ob- liquely truncated, pointed, smooth ; in fact, they appear more like joints of the bark than leaves. Spikes termi- nal, simple, cylindric, often drooping-, and so numerous as to compose the most beautiful droopin^^ panicles on the extremities of the branches and branchlets. Flowers very numerous, sessile, small, rose-coloured, inodorous. Bractes triangular, acute, one-flowered.
Male Flowers. Ca/i/x five-leaved. CoroZ five-pe- talled. Petals linear oblong, emarginate. Filaments five, longer than the petals. Anthers purple, two-lobed, with a projecting gland between them. Pistillum nothing more in all the flowers I examined, than a three-lobed gland in the centre of the flower.
Female Hermaphrodite Flowers on a separate plant.
Calyx as in the male. Petals rather broader than in the male. Filaments five, the length of the germ. An- thers sagittate, glands without the appearance of pol- len. Germ three-lobed. Styles three, longer than the corol. Stigmas clavate, recurved, retuse. Capsules co- nical, three-sided, one-celled, three-valved, hid in the withered calyx, and corol. Seeds numerous, compressed, seemingly imbricated.
PHARNACEUM. Schreh.gen. n. 517.
Calyx five-leaved. Corol none. Capsule three-celled, many seeded.
1. P. Mollugo. Willd. 1. 1508.
Annual, procumbent. Leaves verticelled, lanceolate ; peduncles lateral, one-flowered. Sterile filaments alter- nate with the stamina ; anther twin ; capsule subcylindric. Seeds with a reflected filament.
Alcine erecta. Burm, Zeyl. 13. t. 7.
Pharnaceitm. pentandria trigynia. 103
Molluga spergularia sp. plant. 131. Burnt, flor, Ind. 3. t s.f. 4.
Beng. Ghima Sag, or Shak. Sliak means a pot herb.
Common over India, generally a weed in gardens during the cold season.
2. P. pentagynum. R.
Annual, prostrate, dichotomous, hoary with stellate down. Leaves opposite, round. Flowers axillary.
Beng. Doosera-sag.
It appears during the cold and the beginning of the hot season, on dry land that has lately been, or is in cultiva- tion.
Root perpendicular, seems biennial. Stem none, but nu- merous, alternate, jointed, dichotomous branches, spread- ing close on the ground, they are round, covered with soft, stellate pubescence, and from one to two feet long. Leaves opposite, petioled, obovate, or roundish, with smaller leaves in their axills ; all entire and, like the branches, petioles, &c. hoary with stellate down. The floW' ers stand on the upper side of the branches between the insertions of the leaves, from two to six together, short- peduncled. Calyx five-leaved, the outside covered with stellate down, permanent. Coral none. Filaments gene- rally five,though sometimes more, even as far as ten, short, inserted round the base of the germ. Anthers two-lobed. Germ above, conical, five-sided, five-celled, five-valved opening from the apex. Seeds numerous, reniform, orna- mented with regular lines of elevated points, inserted by a large white vesiculated umbilicus to the bottom of the capsule which is continued in a seemingly superfluous white filament reflected over the seed.
The tender shoots are used by the natives in their cur- ries.
It has the habit and appearance of Glinus lotoides or dictamnoides, but the number of stamens and total
104 PENTANDRIA TRlGYNIA. Basella.
want of the nectary or corol forbid my considering it as even a species of that genus. I have repeatedly exa- mined the flowers of different plants at different periods and places without ever being able to discover any thing like a corol or nectary, so that I must consider this a non-descript or GUnus lotoides itself, and that the former descriptions thereof have been inaccurate.
BASELLA. Schreh. gen. n. 520.
Calyx seven-cleft, with the two opposite divisions broader ; at last it produces a berry. Seed one.
B. alba. Willd. 1. 1514.
Perennial, twining. Leaves cordate, smooth, entire, fleshy.
Batsalla hura, or Matto-batsalla, are its Teliuga names when cultivated ; and AUa-batsalla, when wild.
Vol, the Bengalee, and Hindoo name of the cultivated variety and bun-pot when wild.
Gandola alba. Rumph. amb. 5. p. 417.
The natives of the Coromandel coast reckon five varie- ties of this ; three of these are cultivated, and two wild ; the wild sorts are,
1st. yerra,or Poha- batsalla, the Telinga name of the red wild Batsalla.
Rifcta bun-poi of the Bengalees.
Basella rubra. Willd. 1. 1513.
Gandola rubra. Rumph. amb. 5. 417. 1. 154. /• 2. bad.
Is found wild in hedges, &c. twining round other plants to a considerable extent, the stems, and branches smooth, as thick as a quill, and deeply tinged red.
2nd. AUa-batsalla, above mentioned, grows with the last in hedges, and difiers from it only in the colour of the stems, and branches ; here they are always pale green.
Evolvulus. PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 105
The cultivated sorts are ;
1st. Yerra, or red garden Batsalla.
It differs from the wild red in being more luxuriant ; it is not much cultivated.
2nd. Mattoo, or white Garden Batsalla.
Voi, of the Hindoos and Bengalees.
Like the last, it differs from the wild white only in being more luxuriant, according to the nature of Ihe soil, and is much cultivated. The above two are generally raised from the seeds.
3d, Pedda, or large Batsalla of the Telingas.
B. liicida, and cordifolia. Willd. 1. 1514.
Poi-sag of the Hindoos and Bengalees.
Basella. R/ieed. MaL 7. t. 24.
This is much cultivated, and always from slips taken from the old plants ; it grows to a great size running over extensive, trellises, erected for the purpose, and gene- rally about the houses of the natives, where its numer- ous, large, succulent branchlets and leaves form a most agreeable shade to protect them from the heat of the sun. This variety is also more used as a pot herb by the na- tives, than any of the other four, though all are reckoned equally wholesome.
I think the whole may be reckoned varieties of one spe- cies, and probably Basella Japanica Bnrm. ind. t. 39./. 4. is nothing more than from a stunted specimen of one of these varieties.
EVOLVULUS. Schreb.gen. n. 524.
Calyx five-leaved. Coro/ companulate, plaited. Germ. Capsules superior, two-celled cells, two-seeded.
1. E. ahinoides. Willd. 1. 1517.
Perennial, diffuse, hairy. Leaves subsessile, oblong,
106 PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA, Evolvulus.
hairy. Peduncles from one to three-flowered ; fruit droop- ing.
2. E. hirsufus. Willd. 1. 1517.
Vistnu-clandi. KJieed. Mai. 11. t. G4.
Anagallis hirsuta minor. Burnt, zeyl. t. G,/. 1. and t. 9. /. 1. seems also the same plant.
Is a native of the various parts of India, and ivi blos- som most part of the year.
Root perennial. Stem scarcely any, but numerous, very slender, cespitose, round, bifarious branches, which, while young, are covered with long, soft, white hairs. Leaves alternate, bifarious, subsessile, oblong, entire, hairy on both sides. Peduncles axillary, solitary, longer than the leaves, jointed near the middle, where two opposite, lanceolate bractes are inserted ; from one to three-flow- ered, but one is the most common number ; while in blos- som erect, afterwards drooping. Calyx oifive lanceolate, hairy leaflets. Corel rotate-campanulate margin almost entire, deep bright blue. Stamens crovuiing the mouth of the very short tube. Germ ovate. Styles two, but each three-fourths two-cleft. Stigmas simple. Capsule, and seed as in Couvolulus.
3. E. pilosus. R.
Perennial, diffuse, hairy. Leaves sessile, linear-lanceo- late. Peduncles three-flowered, and amply bracted. Style single, two-cleft.
A native of Hiudoosthan. In the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, it is in flower most part of the year.
Root perennial. Stem scarcely any, but several, some- what ligneous branches spread close on the ground ; ten- der parts clothed with soft, appressed hairs. Leaves al- ternate, remote, sessile, linear-lanceolate, hairy. Pe- duncles axillary, very short, hairy, three-flowered. Flow- ers nearly sessile on the common peduncle. Corol short-
Aralia. pentandria pentagynia. 107
campanulate, white ; margins crenate. Style single, two- cleft.
4. E. angusfifolais, R.
Diffuse, filiform, every part clothed with brown, serice- ous pubescence. Leaves sessile, linear-lanceolate. Pe- duncles longer than the leaves, from one to three-flower- ed. Styles two, each two-cleft,
A native of the Moluccas, agreeing well with Brown's figure of Convolvulus herbaceous erectus, 152, t. 10. /. 2. except that his plant is erect, and nearly smooth ; whereas this spreads on the ground, and is very villous. 1 there- fore think it must be different.
PENTANDRIA PENTAGYNIA.
ARALIA. Schreh. gen. 7i. 525.
Involucre to the umbellet. Ca^j/.r five-toothed. Carol five-petalied. Germ five-celled ; cells one-seeded, at- tachment superior. Berry inferior, five-seeded. Embryo inverse and furnished with a perisperm.
1. A. digitata. R.
Subarboreous, unarmed. Leaves digitate. Leaflets, broad-lauceolate, entire. Panicles terminal.
Unjala, Rheed. Mai. 7. t. 28.
Hind. Dain.
A native of the Circar mountains and lately found by Dr. Buchanan about Lukshmeepoor. Flowering time the rainy season. Young trees are in the Botanic Garden at Cal- cutta, where they grow luxuriantly, but always continue bushy, somewhat scaudent, and irom the lower branches, many roots continually descend into the ground or em- brace other trees. The bark is smooth, and on the young shoots of a bright deep green colour.
Leaves round the ends of the young shoots digitate.
N 2
108 PENTANDRIA PENTAGYNIA.. Aralia.
Leaflets ^ei\o\diiedi, generally five or six, and of dififerent sizes, oblong, pointed, entire, smooth on both sides, the shortest about the length of the common petiole. Petioles stem-clasping, round, smooth. Petiolets the largest about an inch round, and smooth. Utnbellets globular, numerous, inserted alternately on many long, terminal, leafless ramifications the whole forming a large open pa- nicle. Floivers \ery numerous, small. Calyx ; involucre of the globular umbellet, scarcely any. Perianth a five- sided marginal elevation round the germ. Corol ; petals five, inserted on the five marginal sides of the perianth. Stamens five. Germ inferior, five-celled, with a single ovu- la in each attached to the top of the cell, &c. exactly as in the ripe state. Berry round, size of a small pea, smooth, yellow, five-celled. Seed solitary, attached to the top of the cell immediately under the remains of its stigma, straight and sharp on the inner edge, convex and broad in the interior. Integument single, white. Peris- perm conform to the seed, entire, pure white, of a firm and rather tough consistence. Embryo inverse, scarcely half the length of the perisperra. Cotyledons two, linear. Radicle cylindric:, superior, immediately within the um- bilicus.
In Hedera terebinthacea which this species most resembles, the style which is single, is as long as the fi- lament, and cuds in a single acute stigma ; consequently they cannot be the same, though in the Banksian herbari- um I believe my plant is there marked H. terebinthi- ana.
2. A. umbraculifera. R.
Arboreous, unarmed. Z.ea?;es pinnate ; leaflets numer- ous; inflorescence terminal.
Papaja silvestris. Rumph. Amb. 1. p. 149. t. 53./. 1.
A native of the Molucca Islands, from thence introduc- ed into the Botanic Garden at Calcutta in 1798 ; where
Linum. pentandria pentagynia. 109
it blossoms in April, but has never ripened its fruit in Bengal.
Trunk straig^ht, perfectly simple, about twelve feet high, and eighteen inches in circumference, towards the top marked with the large cicatrices of the fallen leaves, otherwise perfectly smooth, and ash-coloured. Leaves round the top of the plant, below the inflorescence, une- qually pinnate, drooping, about six feet long. Leaflets about twenty pair, opposite, subsessile, drooping, ovate- lanceolate, margins waved and slightly serrate, very smooth on both sides, upper surface shining ; length from four to eiuht inches, and from two to three broad. Petioles smooth, sharp on the upper edge, jointed at the insertion of the leaves, and then much swelled. Inflo- rescence, I will call it an immense terminal pannicle is- suing as in Corypha umhracuUfera, from the apex of the simple Papaya-\\ke stem and composed of nu- ous, primary, diverging, compound branches, of from three to four feet in length, while the numerous di- verging branchlets thereof are from six to nine inches long, and support numerous alternate diverging pedun- cles of small, globular heads, of from, six to twelve small, sessile, greenish, stellate flowers. Bractes minute. In- volucres also very minute. Calyx superior, obscurely five-toothed. Petals five, broad-lanceolate, spreading. Filaments shorter than the petals, spreading. Anthers ovate. Germ inferior, crowned within the insertion of the petals and stamina, with a convex, grooved, coloured gland ; from its centre rise the five styles, which are in some degree coalesced, and shorter than the corol. Stig- mas five, distinct, and simple.
LINUM. Schreb. gen. n. 528.
Ca/yx five-leaved. Coro^ five-petalled. Capsule su- perior, from five to six-valved, from ten to twelve-celied, with one seed in each cell.
110 PENTANDRIA PENTAGVNIA. Linum.
1, L. usisatissimum. Willd. 1. 1533.
Annual, ramous. Calyx and capsules mucronate. Pe- tals crenate. Leaves alternate, lanceolate.
Sans. Utusee.
Hind. Tisi.
Beng. Mushina.
Much cultivated over the Northern parts of India for the seed, from which the Hindoos extract the oil. They make no use of any other part of the plant.
2. L. trigynum. R.
Shrubbv. Leave-i alternate, oval. Filaments united at the base with alternate sterile bristles. Styles three. Cap' sules six-valved, twelve-celled.
Hind. Gool ashruf.
This beautitul plant I have only met with in the gar- den of the curious about Calcutta, though it is indigenous in Hindoosthan, and the eastern parts of Bengal. Flow- ering time, the cold season. It grows readily from bits of the root; consequently, is easily propagated ; it is indeed, a troublesome, though beautiful weed.
Stem or rather branches numerous, sub-erect, the whole shrub about two or three feet high. Bark ash-coloured. Leaves alternate, short-petioled, ovate-oblong, with a bristle-like point, the larger are most minutely serrate toward the apex ; both sides smooth, size very various. Stijndes minute. F/oaers solitary, peduncled, large, of a bright, deep, rich yellow colour, inodorous. Bractes none, unless some small floral leaves ^hich surround the peduncles near the base may be so called. Calyx five- leaved ; leaflets lanceolate, acute, smooth, erect, perma- nent. Petals five, claws the length of the calyx, forming as it were a tube. Border flat, round, entire, inserted below the bristles, into the ring formed round the germ by the union of the base of the filaments, on the outside of the neck of each petal are two small toothlets. Filaments
Aegelatis. pentandria. pentagynia. HI
five, as long as the calyx, becoming broad towards the base, and then united with five, small, intermediate bris- tles placed between them. Anthers sagittate. Germ su- perior, globular, six-celled, with one ovula in each, attach- ed to the top of the axis. Styles three, considerably long- er than the stamens. ^f/^wi« headed, undivided. Cap- sule globular, smooth, size of a large pea, six-celled, six- valved. Seeds solitary, reniform.
This plant is highly ornamental. Miller's iwofigures in plate 268, are not unlike it in any respect ; yet I think it is evident they cannot be the same ; it seems more nearly allied to Linum, for in all respects the characters agree perfectly, except in the three styles and capsule. I have therefore called it Linum trigjnum.
AEGELATIS. Brown. Calyx cylindric sulcated, five-toothed. Petals five and with the five filaments, united at the base. Germ supe- rior, one-celled, one-seeded, attachment from the base of the cell to the apex of the ovula.
A. rotundifolia. R.
Leaves alternate, orbicular ; petioles long, sheathing and winged.
A small ramous shrub found with RJiizophora, &)C. growing on the banks of the salt-water creeks which intersect the lower part of the delta of the Ganges. Flowering time December.
Stem scarcely any, but many ascending, smooth, di- chotomous branches and branchlets. Leaves alternate, petioled, orbicular, entire, glossy, most finely veined, from two to three inches each way. Petioles as lonir as the leaves, sheathing, broad-winged, smooth ; when they drop, annular, permanent marks are left in the branches. Racemes axillary and terminal, the latter dichotomous
112 PENTANDRIA PRNTAGYNiA. Aldrovanda.
or even subpanicled, round, and smooth. Flowers nu- merous, pretty large, pale yellow, short-pedicelled. Bractes three to each flower, oval, sheathing, clammy. Calyx cylindric, sulcated, clammy, mouth five-toothed. Corol, it may be called one-petalled, with filaments insert- ed on the mouth of the tube ; or five-petalled, and those inserted on the tube, formed by the base of the filaments, lamina oblong, recurved over the mouth olthe calyx. Fi- laments five, shorter than the corol. Anthers linear-ob- long. Germ superior, oblong, five-grooved, closely em- braced by the tube, formed by the stamina and petals, one-celled, containing a single ovula, pendulous at the end of a long umbilical cord which rises from the bot- tom of the cell. Styles five, rather longer than the Sta • mina. Stigmas large.
ALDROVANDA. Schreb. gen. n. 529.
C'«/7/x five-parted. Coro/ five-petalled. Capsule sn- perior, five-valved, one-celled. Seeds longitudinally af. fixed to the inside of the valves of the pericarp.
A. verticillata. R,
Twining. Leaves verticelled, wedge-shaped.
Beng- Malacca-jhanjee.
Found .swimming on ponds of water over Bengal dur- ing the cold and hot season.
I have never seen it in any other form than that of detached pieces from one to three inches long, sometimes ramoiis, sometimes simple. The stems are round and smooth with verticells of six or eight leaves at every quarter of an inch or less.
Leaves sessile, verticelled, wedge-shaped, ending in four or five bristly horns of nearly the same length ; over the insertion of the middle pair is inserted a crescent-shap- ed, winged utricle, the body of which is inflated, and
Drosera. pentandria pentagynia. 113
serves to keep the plant suspended on the water. Pedun- cles axillary, solitary, about the length of the leaves and their horns, one-flowered. Calyx, corol, &c. as in the ge- nus except that here the seeds are numerous.
DROSERA. Schreh. gen. n. 531.
Calyx five-cleft. Corol five-petalled. Capsule supe- rior, one-celled opening into five valves at the top. Seeds numerous.
D. Burmanni. Willd. 1. 544.
Scapes axillary. Leaves radical, cuneate, spatulate, ciliate, pressing close on the ground in a circle. Stipules petiolary, varicose, from three to six-cleft.
Ros solis zeylanica, &c. Burm. zeyl. f. 94./. 2.
Native of Coromandel, Ceylon, &c.
D. indica. Willd. 1. 1546.
Stems raraous, leaf-bearing. Leaves linear, ciliate.
Ros solis ramosa. Burm. zeyl. t. 94./. 1.
Araka puda. RUeed. Mai. 10. t. 20.
A native of Coromandel, &c. Flowering time the cold
season.
o
CLASS Vl.
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
URANIA. Schreh. gen. n. 539.
Calyx a common spathe. Corol six-pctalled. Germ three-celled. Ovula numerous ; attachment septal. Cap- sule inferior, three- celled, three-valved. Seeds in two rows, axilled. Embryo centripetal, and furnished ^vith a peris- perm.
U. speciosa. Willd. 2. p. 7.
Ravenalia madagascariensis. Sonner. it. bid. 223. t. 124-5 and 6.
In 1802 three plants of this elegant tree were brought from the Island of Mauritius by Capt. Tennant to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta. They were planted in dif- ferent soils, and situations. That which was in a very moist place, and in a rich brownish black soil, throve more luxuriantly than the other two, though in a soil equally rich but lighter coloured, much higher and drier; the former flowered for the first time about the close of 1806 and again in September, 1807, when the accompany- ing and following description was made. The seeds of the first crop of flowers ripened in November, 1807.
Tn^iArof the tree now in flower, simple, and straight, eighteen inches to the leaves, and thirty-six in circum- ference, round, and marked with the circular impressions
Urania. hexandria monogynia. 115
of the leaves that have fallen off. Leaves cauline, bifa- rious, alternate approximating;, petioled, erect when they first appear, and in all directions from that to di- verging when about to decay, like the ribs of a semicir- cular fan, linear, oblong, nearly truncate at both ends, very smooth on both sides, veins simple, diverging in a waving line, length about six feet and the breadth from two to three. Petioles about eight feet long, sheathing, a deep groove runs along the upper edge, except for two or three inches at the apex ; under side round, and smooth. Spadix axillary, solitary, much shorter than the peti- oles ; in our young trees many leaves intervene ; bifarious, branches simple. Spaihes, common, three or four, alter- nate, embracing the stalks of the spadix, which are most- ly hid in the groove of the next petiole below. Partial spathes about twelve, cuneiform, from twelve to twenty- four inches long, the inferior being about twice the length of the uppermost, each enclosing about ten flowers in each side, every one of these flowers is also embraced by its own proper spathe. Flowers large, white, sessile, al- ternate in two rows on the upper side of the branches of the spadix, before expansion, imbricated in a horizontal line ; when expanded, erect, inodorous; while in blossom the spathes are all completely filled with a super-abun- dance of clear, gelatinous matter. Calyx no other than the spathes already described. Coral six-petalled, three inner and three outer, all nearly ensiform, straight, and of a firm rigid texture, five of them are nearly equal in size ; the sixth (one of the inner three) much small- er, the other two of this series adhere lengthways by their margins, overlapping each other, which may have occasioned the corol to have been called five* petalled, but their distinct insertions, and separation both above and below, readily point to very distinct petals. Stamina six, the length of the corol. Anthers linear, slightly recurvate, twice as long as their thicker
o 2
116 HEXANDRIA. MONOGYNiA. Bromelia.
filament. Germ inferior, obliquely linear, three-celled with two vertical rows of ovula in each cell attached • to the partition. Style rather longer than the sta- mina, straight and very stiff. Stigma clavate, perforat- ed, three-lobed, lobes bidentate, and acute. Capsule inferior, linear, oblong, less convex on one side, and the separation marked by two opposite, longitudinal, sharp ridges ; size of a small cucumber, smooth, dark brown, of a hard, tough fibrous texture, three-celled, three-valv- ed, opening from the apex. 6^eeds many, reniforra, in two rows, attached to the inner edge of the partition, each enveloped in its proper, beautiful azure-coloured axil (the robe of Urania.) Perisperm conform to the seed, white, friable. Embryo pointing immediately to the umbilicus of the seed, pure white ; varying its shape from that of a common flask to that of a retort.
BROMELIA. Schreb.gen. n. 540.
Calyx three-parted. Petah three, with a nectarial scale at the base of each. Berry superior, three-celled.
1. B. ananas. Willd. 2. 7.
Leaves ciliate with spinous points. Spike tufted.
Kapa-tsjakka. Rheed. Mai. 11. t. 1. and 2.
Beng. Ananas.
I do not know that it has been found indigenous in any part of India. Its not being a native of India is supported by the various vernacular names, evidently derived from ananas, as well as by their being no Sanscrit name for so remarkable a plant, A thing which could scarcely have happened if it had been a native of the East Indies. The general flowering time in India is about the beginning of the hot season.
There is a very beautiful striped-leaved variety of this species found at Malacca.
Burmannia. hexandria monogynia. 117
BURMANNIA. Schrcb. gen. n. 542. Calyx gibbous, mouth six-toothed ; the alternate one very small, (or they may be called petals.) Corol none. Stamina in pairs. Capsule inferior, three-celled. Seeds numerous.
1. B. distkha. Willd, 2. 16.
Leaves sword-shaped. Spike double.
Burmannia spica gemina. Burm.zeyl. p. 50. t. 20. f. 1.
It is a native of Ceylon.
Root of numerous capillary fibres, annual. Leaves tslAI- cal, sword-shaped. Scape erect, from twelve to twenty inches high, round, pointed, with a sword-shaped sheath at each joint. Spikes double, spreading in opposite di- rections. Bractes lanceolate, one-flowered. Flowers e- rect, subsessile on the upper side of the spikes, pale blue. Calyx gibbous, one-leaved ; mouth six-parted, divisions alternate, larger permanent, and keeled on the back. Corol none, unless the three smaller divisions of the calyx be so called. Filaments none. Anthers three, joined to the sides of three large, ox-head-shaped glands, aflSx- ed to the calyx just below the smaller divisions thereof. Germ inferior, three-sided, three-winged, the wings a continuation of those of the calyx. Style erect. Stigmas three, large, emarginate. Capsule three-winged, three- cornered, three-celled, three-valved. Seeds numerous.
2. B. iriflora. /?.
Floivers about three in a terminal head. Leaves ensi- form. Found by Mr. W. Roxburgh on Prince of Wales' Island. Root annual, consisting of a few small fibres. Leaves, few round the base, those of the scape ensiform, smooth. Scape filiform, erect, generally simple, invested in a few remote leaflike scales ; height about six inches. Floivers from two to four, terminal, short-pedicelled, large.
118 HKXANDEiA. MONOGVNiA. Tradescautia,
and beautil'ul. Bractes ensiform, one at the base of each pedicell. Calyx superior, subcyliadric, amply three- winded, mouth six-toothed, the three alternate, {Corol of Linna?iis,) very small, and ensiform. Filaments short in the mouth of the calyx. Anthers three-pair. Germ inferior. Style rather shorter than the calyx. Stigma three-cleft. Segments emarginate. adhering to the stami- na. Capsule three-celled. Seeds numerous, minute, attached to the inner angle of the c€lJs.
TRADESCJXTIA. Schreb. gen. n. 543.
Calyx three-leaved, or three-parted. Filaments beard- ed, or naked. Germ three-celled. Cells few-.seeded. at- tachment inferior. Capsule superior, three-celled, three- valved. Seeds few. Embryo in the back of the ample perisperm, centrifugal.
1. T. axillaris. Willd. 2. 20.
Annual, creeping. Flowers axillary. Calyx one-leav- ed. Corol one-petalled. Filaments bearded, and club- bed.
Nir pulla. Rheed. Mai. lU. p. 2.j. 1. 13.
Hind. Baga nella.
Tclitig. Gola gandee.
Annual, a native of moist pasture ground, borders of rice fields, ficc. appearing and flowering during the wet and cold season.
Root fibrous. Stem, there is in young plants an erect one, but in old ones it is depressed, and appears like one of the many long creeping branches that issue from its base, all are round, smooth, jointed and often coloured. Leaves alternate, sheathing, lanceolate, spreading, striat- ed ; mouths of the sheaths ciliate. Flowers axillary two or three, but in succession, so that there is never more than one expanded at a lime, they are pretty large ; colour a
Trackscantia. hexandria monogynia. 119
deep, beautiful, blue purple. Calyx membranaceous, three-parted. Corol oue-petalled, funnel-formed ; tube cylindric. twice as long as the calyx. Segments three, cor- date. Filaments six, the length of the corol. and inserted into its tube near the base; toward the apex swelled into an oblong pellucid body, and a little below sur- rounded with beautiful, jointed hairs. Anthers incum- bent. Germ superior, three-sided. Styk the length of the stamens, and near the apex swelled bke the tilameuts. Cattle are vcr}' fond of this plant.
'2. T. tiiberosa. Coram, pi. '2. u. 100.
Perennial, creeping ; radical leaves ensifonn. cauline. lanceolate, and downy. Spikts crested. Corol one pe- talled. Filaments bearded and chibbed.
A native of moist vallies.
Boot tuberous, perennial. Stems several, creeping', round, jointed, from six to thirty inches long: there is a tuft of three or four, liliaceous, sword-shaped leaves, issuing immediately from the heads of the tuberous roots or rather their sheaths, forming a head from ■whence the roots and procumbent stems issue. Leaves of the stems linear-lanceolate, sheathing, striated, under side tinged with purple and downy. Spikes terminal, or from the interior axills. one or two together ; peduncled. beautiful, imbricated as in F. crisfata. -with tAvo rows of falcate, ciliate bractes. Flowers one in the axiU of each bracte, small, blue purple. Coro/ one-petalled, ^cc. as in the last described. Stamens and pistil as in T, axillaris.
3. T. paniculata. R.
Annual, partly erect. i>ar€s lanceolate. Panicles ta~ miual. Coro/i' three-petalled. Filaments naked. Tiling. K/mda amadikada. A native of moist vallies. iioof librous, annual. Stems creeping, Tvith their ex-
120 HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Tradescaiitia,
tremities erect, jointed, smooth. Leaves lanceolate, sheathing. Mouth of the sheaths woolly. Panicles ter- minal, globular, many-flowered, hairy. Flowers small, blue. Ca/?/a- three-leaved, hairy. CoroZ three-petalled, the superior two, large, and ovate, the third lanceolate. Filaments simple, inserted round the germ, as long as the petals, without hairs or swelling.
4. T. imhricata. Corom. pi. 2. N. 108.
Creeping. Leaves lanceolate-cordate, stem-clasping and sheathing. Spikes secured, imbricated with two rows of bractes. Coroh one-petalled, funnel-shaped.
Veetla caitu. Rheed. Mai. 7. t. 58.
Common on wet ground over most parts of India during the latter part of the wet season.
Root annual. Stems or ftrawcAes creeping, jointed, round, pretty smooth, a small woolly ridge runs from joint to joint, being a continuation of the fissure of the base of the leaf next above ; length from one to two feet. Leaves stem-clasping, sheathing, lanceolate-cordate, entire, somewhat fleshy, beautifully striated ; margins woolly, otherwise smooth, from two to three inches long, and about one broad. Spikes terminal, solitary, sessile, re- curved over the base of the last leaf, which may be call- ed a common spathe, secund, imbricated with two pairs of lunulate, sessile bractes, each row generally consisting of from six to sixteen pair. Flowers sessile, one to each bracte, opening in succession, pale blue. Calyx three-parted, ciliate on the back and margins. Carol one- petalled, funnel-shaped ; border of three equal divisions. Filaments inserted round the base of the germ, spirally twisted, and hairy. Style spirally twisted, naked. Stigma pitcher-shaped. Seeds two in each cell, pitted on the back.
Note. The corol being of one petal precludes the idea of its being T. cristata. There is a variety with dark blue flowers.
Pontederia. hexandria monogynia. 121
PONTEDERIA. Schreh. gen. n. 545.
Calyx, spathe common. Corol six-petalled or parted. Stamina and style ascending. Capsule superior, three- celled, three- valved.
1. P. vaginalis. Willd. 2. 23. Coroni. pi n. 110.
Leaves cordate, acute, from five to seven-nerved ; ra- cemes peduncled, after the flowers decay, recurved.
Carimgala. Rheed. Mai. 11 t. 44.
Sans. Neelotpala.
Beng. Nouka.
Teling. Nirocancha.
A native of the borders of sweet water lakes or marshy places. It flowers during the rains.
Root perennial, creeping. Leaves radical, narrow-cor- date, pointed, entire, smooth, glossy ; from two to four inches long, and from one to two broad. Petioles sub- erect, tapering, fistulous, smooth, from six to twelve inches long ; those that bear a raceme are swelled a lit- tle about the middle, and there open like a spathe length- ^"ways near the base, those that do not bear flowers are enlarged into a sheath, which embraces the exterior leaves. Raceme short-peduncled, after flowering time, drooping, from six to twelve flowered. Pedicels about three quarters of an inch long. Flowers blue and pretty. Calyx no other than the common spathe of the raceme. Petals six, the three exterior are the smallest, and oblong, the three interior obovate. Filaments ascending, in- serted round the base of the germ, the lowermost one is generally broad, and two-cleft, its lower division bears a blue anther, the otlier nothing ; the rest are yellow. GennL superior. Style single. Stigma gladular.
2. P. hastata. Willd. 2. 24. Corom. pL 2. N. 111. Leaves triangular, or hastate, pointed, many -nerved- Racemes subsessile, erect.
122 HEXANDRiA. MONOGYNiA. PontedeHa.
Teling. Neroo-Taraara.
A native of marshy places, or shallow standing sweet water. It flowers during the rainy and cold season.
Root perennial, thick, spongy, creeping when long, a little flexuose with many fibres issuing from every part. Leaves radical ; those that bear the flowers a little more elevated, but difi'ering in no other respect from the rest ; broad-sagittate, or triangular, very entire, pointed, very smooth and glossy, from six to seven inches long, and from five to six inches broad, posterior angles gene- rally obtuse. Petioles the flower bearing longest and grooved a little, swelled near the apex, and there on the fore part, split like a sheath for the passage of the ra- ceme ; the other petioles are increased near the base into a large sheath, which embraces those within ; they are ta- pering, sometimes spotted with small purple dots, from eighteen to twenty-four inches long, and not grooved like the flower-bearing petioles, or scapes. /?aceme« subsessile, erect, while they are in flower, while young, globular, but lengthening as the flowers expand. Spathes ovate. Flowers numerous, pedicelled, closely surrounding every part of the raceme ; those nearest the apex begin to expand first, and continue in succession down ; they are large, and of a beautiful bright blue, violet colour. Pedicels round, smooth, about an inch long. Petals six, withering, the three interior largest, and obovate; the three exterior ob- long. Filaments six, short, the lower rather longer, and as in the last bifid or broad and undivided with a double anther. Anthers linear, erect, the lowermost one is much larger and blue, the rest are yellow. Germ superior, ovate, with three cells, each containing numerous ovula attached to a vertical thickened line, or a receptacle on each side of the partition. Style single, ascending, rather longer than the stamens. Stigma downy.
Pontederia. hexandria monogynia. 123
3. P. Plantaginea. R.
Diffuse. Leaves narrow, cordate. Racemes peduncled, three-flowered.
PIantao;inis stellatae foliae. Pluck, t. 2215. f. 4. agrees much better with this, than with P. vaginalis.
A native of marshy, or watery places over Bengal. It flowers during the rains. Stems annual, and very tri- fling, but spreading on the ground for a few inches so that the radical fibres issue through the sheathes of the leaves and strike into the earth. Leaves petioled, nar- row-cordate, entire, taper, obtuse-pointed, smooth ; lobes semicircular; nerves about five, and faintly visible on the under-side only; the largest of the leaves is about two inches long and one broad. Petioles from three to four in- ches lon^, round, variously curved, with an opening about the middle on the inside for the raceme ; from the mouth of the stem-clasping base, a very large tapering ligule, or bracte rises. Racemes peduncled, from two to four-flow- ered, and erect till they decay, then recurved. Flowers large for the size of the plant, short-pedicelled, bright, deep blue. Calyx the spathe of the raceme, inserted near its base. Coral one-petalled, to the base six-cleft ; divisions \diiiceo\?de, the interior three narrower. Fila- ments five smaller, and one large, with a hornlet as in P. vaginalis and hasfafa. Anthers on the small filaments, small and roundish; on the large, sagittate, oblong. Germ oval, three-celled, each containing numerous ovula at- tached to septal receptacles not far removed from the axis. Style shorter than the stamina. Capsule oblong, three-celled, three-valved. Seeds numerous, round.
4. P. dHatata. Syme's embasy to Ava.
Leaves cordate-sagittate. Umbel peduncled, drooping ; flowers numerous, long-pedicelled.
Hinds Cacheree.
A Native of Bengal, &c. It flowers during the rainy season.
P2
124 HEXANDRiA MONOGYNIA. Paticratium.
5. p. sagittata. R.
Leaves sagittate ; umbel sessile ; flowers long-pediccl- led.
A Native of low wet places near Chittagong.
PANCRATIUM. Schreb. gen. n. 551. Corol superior, infundibuliform, crowned with a cam- paniilate, staminiferous nectary.
1. P. zeylankum. Willd. 2. 41.
Leaves linear-lanceolate. Spathe one-flowered. Seg- ments of the corol longer than the tube. Stamens incur- ved. Nectary twelve-toothed. Lilium Indicum, Rumph. Amb. 6 t. 70 f. 2. and a tolerably good figure, but Cat- ' tidi Pola, Rheed Mai. 11 f. 40 must certainly be excluded.
A native of the Molucca Islands and of Ceylon, from both places the roots have been received into this Gard- en, where they blossom about the beginning of the rains.
Root a round, smooth, truncated bulb, about an inch and a half in diameter. Leaves radical, bifarious as far as ten or twelve from the same bulb ; slightly recurved, linear-lanceolate, pointed, smooth, from six to twelve in- ches long. Scape axillary, shorter than the leaves, a lit- tle compressed, smooth, supporting a single, large, pure white, faintly fragrant flower, which expands about sun- set, and fades next morning. Spathes membranaceous, length of the tube of the corol. Corol superior ; tube cylindric ; segments of the border linear-revolute, longer than the tube. Nectary or crown of the corol spreading wide in the shape ofa shallow bowl. The twelve divi- sions of its border acute. Filaments scarcely so long as the segments of the border of the corol, incurved.
2. P. longlflorum. B. H.
Leaves nixrYow lanceolate. ^ Spathe one-lowered. Seg- ments of the corol linear-lanceolate, half the length of
Pancratium. hkxandria monogynia. 125
the tube. Stamens incurved, scarcely longer than the divisions of the gibbous campanulate- twelve-toothed nec- tary.
A native of the Moluccas, from whence the roots were brought to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta in 1798. It is in blossom about the beginning of the rains.
Leaves radical, narrow-lanceolate, deep green, and smooth on both sides ; length about twelve inches, and less than one in breadth.
Scapes much shorter than the leaves, and even short- er than the tube of the corol, compressed, one-flowered.
Flowers large, pure white, fragrant. Corol; tube pale green, cylindric, a little furrowed, about six inches long. Filaments incurved, and very little longer than the divisi- ons of the nectary. Anthers large.
3. P. bifloriim. R.
Leaves linear-cuneate. Spathe from three to four-leav- ed, two or three flowered. Corol with a long, slender, three- sided tube and linear segments of the same length. Sinu- ses of the nectary erose. Filaments length of the nectary.
A native of India, but scarce. Flowering time in the Botanic Garden at Calcutta, the rainy season.
Leaves from four to eight, bifarious, erect, flat, linearly wedge-shaped, rather obtuse, smooth on both sides, slight- ly reticulated with transverse green veins ; length about twelve inches, by one broad. Scape shorter than the leaves, erect, smooth, a little compressed, supporting two or three, large, pure white, faintly fragrant flowers. Spathe three or four-leaved, two-flowered ; leaflets of va- rious sizes and linear. Corol ; tube pale whitish green, three- sided, slender, from three to four inches long, divi- sions of the border linear, first expanding, then recurved, about as long as the tube. Nectary broad funnel-shaped, scarcely one third the length of the lacinias of the corol. Sinuses betw^een the filaments erose. Filaments about as
1S6 HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Crinum.
long as the nectary, spreading. Anthers first yellow, afterwards brown. Style longer than the stamens. Stig- ma three-lobed.