178
ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 178
ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.
Dr. Arnott's character does not attain, and in so far weakens both. I give below Dr. Arnott's generic character.*
The genus naturally divides itself into two sections, one distinguished by its crested petals and projecting lobes of the disk, the other by the petals being without a crest, and having a 5-angled not 5-lobed disk.
§ I. Petals crested, disk 5-lobed, lobes adnate to the bases of the petals.
1. L. Wightianum, Arn. Leaves elliptic, oblong, slightly acuminated, quite entire, coriaceous, slightly villous beneath; crest of the petals a corrugated mem- brane.
Hab. — Malabar.
The villi on the under surface of the leaves, in this species is much more sensible to the touch th in evident to the eye, even when assisted with a high magnifier.
2. L. fimbriatitm. Leaves ovate, oblong, slightly acu- minated, quite entire, membranous, glabrous on both sides, crest of the petals fimbriated.
Hab. — Mergui — Griffith.
The much thinner and membranous leaves with the fimbriated crest of the petals at once distinguish this from, the former species. In addition to which the flowers are scarcely half the size.
§ 2. Petals not crested, disk 5-angled, not lobed, an- gles alternate with the petals.
This section ought perhaps to form a distinct genus.
3. L. floribundum, R.W. Leaves linear elliptic, acumi- nated, quite entire, coriaceous, glabrous on both sides ; panicles large, diffuse, many-flowered; flowers small, young capsules (?) acutely triangular, pointed.
Hab. — Mergui. — Griffith.
This is a most distinct species, and cannot be con- founded with either of the preceding, but it is still doubtful to me, whether it ought to remain in the genus.
EUONYMUS.
E. Goughii, (R. W.) Shrubby, glabrous, ramuli com- pressed : leaves somewhat tripli nerved shortly petioled, quite entire, oblong ovate, acute at both ends, acumi- nated: peduncles axillary-, short, 1-3 flowered: calyx cuellate, 5-lobed: petals 5, orbicular, fimbriated on
the margin : stamens5, inserted on the disk, connectivum of the anthers broad, cells placed transversely, dehis- cing lengthwise, ovary immersed in the disk, 5-celled, with two ovules in each.
Hab. — Neitgkerries. — Gough.
This species seems to approach E. grandiftorus, (Wall.) iii the size of its flowers, but differs in the quinary not quaternary number of parts, and in its petals being fimbriate on the margin.
2. E. acutangutus. Younger branches and ramuli acutely 4-angled, glabrous : leaves coriaceous, glabrous, quite entire, ovate, acuminated: cymes axillary, pedun- cles about half the length of the leaves, twice or thrice dichotomous: capsules conical, broad, truncated above, tapering downwards, 5-celled.
Ne ilgherries. — Gough.
For specimens of both these species I am indebted to Mr. Gough, who gathered them in the course of his excursions on the Hills.
3. E. revolufus, R.W. Young shoots, obtusely 4-an- gled, afterwards terate : leaves subsessile, coriaceous, revolute on the margin, quite entire, from elliptic to obovate-cunniate, with a short blunt acumination: peduncles axillary, paired, slender, 1-3 flowered, about one-fourth the length of the leaves; when one flowered, furnished with two minute bracts above the middle : calyx 5-lobed, lobes rounded: petals 5, orbicular : ovary immersed in the disk, 5-celled, with two ovules in each.
Hab. — Ceylon.
E. Walkerii, R. W. Branches slender, terate, extreme, shoots obscurely 4-sided : leaves subsessile, ovate, acu- minated at both ends, serrated towards the apex, quite entire below, somewhat coriaceous, glabrous: peduncles axillary, short, once or twice dichotomous ; flowers small, petals 5, orbicular, slightly undulated on the margin, capsule conical, 5-celled, large, 5-angled, tur- binato at the apex.
Hab. — Ceylon.
Flowering specimens of this plant were first commu- nicated to me bv Colonel Walker, I afterwards collected them in fruit, between the two there are some unimpor- tant differences, the leaves of the flowering specimensbe- insr larger, endingin a longer and more pointed acumen and more acutely serrated. These differences however could not be employed as specific characters to sepa- rate the two forms.
- Calyx scutelliformis 4-5-lobus, lobis rotundatis brevibus. Petala 4-5 sessilia orbiculata patentia, supra circa
basin enstis lobulisque carnosis instructa versus marginem nuda lajvia. Torus discoideus, 4-5-gonus crassus car- nosus calveis cavit item omnino implens. Stamina 4— 5, petalis alterna, supra discum inserta : filamenta persist- entia subulata. Antherce ovatffi, biloculares, longitudinaliter dehiseentes. Ovarium disco semi-immersum, 3-4- loculare. Ovula bisetialia, 8-12 in quoque loculo adscendentia. Stylus brevis persistens. Stigma obtusum. Capsula 3-4-angularis, 3-4-locularis, loculicide dehiscens, loculis sub-dispermis. Semina arillata.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 71.
ElcBodendron Roxburghii — 1. Flowering branch — na- tural size.
2. An expanded flower seen from above.
3. The same, the petals removed to bring more clearly into view the disk and insertion of the stamens under its edge.
4. Stamens back and front views.
5. Ovary cut: vertically, showing the ovules attached to the base, erect.
6. Ovary cut transversely, showing it 2-celled, with two ovules in each.
7. A fruit nearly full grown.
8. Cut transversely, l-celled, I-seeded, the other ovules having aborted.
9. The same cut vertically, the seed still immature and not yet filling the cavity of the cell — all more or less magnified.
