Page:Miscellaneousbot02brow.djvu/680

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661 PLANTS JAVANICA RARIORES.

strikingly applicable. It is not my intention, however, to propose any change in this respect, for in both cases the names must be considered as established.

251] The affinity between Euphorbiacece and Antidesmem is rendered more obvions by the addition to the latter of Bennettia. But the structure of ovarium and the mono- spermous drupaceous pericarpium readily distinguish them.

lodes and Sarcostigma also agree with Bennettia in several important points, particularly in their unisexual minute flowers, ovarium with two pendulous ovula, mono- spermous drupa, and in most respects in the structure of seed. They differ in habit, being twining or scandent shrubs without stipules, in their monopetalous persistent inner perianthium or corolla, in aestivation and reduced number of stamina, in structure of antherae, and in the embryo being inverted, not transverse.

Obs. II. Several species of Bennettia have been dis- covered in India. One of these, first observed by the late Dr. Jack, at Singapore, was referred by him, though doubt- fully, to Limonia. Dr. Blume, who had observed a plant of the same genus in Java, for which he adopted the generic name here proposed, having liberally communicated specimens and drawings of this plant, it proves to be iden- tical with Bennettia javanica ; and lastly, Dr. Wallich has, in the concluding distribution of his great Indian Herba- rium, noticed several plants of the same genus, to which he has also given the name Bennettia. These plants so closely resemble Bennettia javanica and each other, that they are chiefly distinguishable by minute, but, as I believe, con- stant differences in their male flowers, and in the form of their fruits. Of these supposed species the differential characters are here subjoined.

Bennettia Wallichii, masculi floris petalis concavis vix cucullatis glabris, antheris rudimentoque pistilli imberbibus, drupis transversim oblongis duplo latioribus quam longis varicosis, ranmlis foliisque utrinque glaberrimis.

Boo. Nat. India Or. Tavoy. Wall. List, 8585 E.

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