96
ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.
of forest to supply shade from the sun and shelter from the winds, there seems so many chances of success, that I would strongly urge the propriety of having the attempt made. Mr. Huxham, a not less active and enterprising than skilful planter on that coast, would, I think I may safely add though I have had no communication with him on the subject, gladly undertake the conducting of such an experiment if supplied with plants. If my conjectures as to his willingness to undertake the culture, prove correct, I should recommend his being supplied with plants for that purpose, and if procurable, would advise them to be brought from China, which, from having already been long subjected to artificial culture, are likely, more readily to accommodate themselves to new circumstances than those derived from the wild stock. Once acclimated on the coast, which seems the most suitable locality for commencing the experiment, it will probably prove an easy matter to extend the culture to Mysore. On the east coast, success can scarcely be expected on account of the extreme heat and dryness of the climate.
Remarks on the Genera and Species. On this division of the subject I must of necessity be brief from want of materials to enterfully into its consideration. Mr. Griffith in his report enumerates 9 genera natives of India, after reducing one by uniting Camellia and Tie". Of these 9, the Peninsula presents species of 5, namely, Cochlospermum, Terns treemiaj ', Cletjera, Eurya, and Gordonia, of the remaining four, representatives have not yet been found. To these Blume has added four from Java, one of his however, Geeria, is, if not wholly, certainly in part identical with the Indian Eurya.
Professor DeCandolle in his account of this order keeps it distinct from Camelliaceae, and divides it into six sections or tribes. Since the publication of his Prodromus these two orders have, by the almost unanimous decision of Botanists, been united, the last being reduced to a section of the first.
Of each of these tribes or sections tha Indian flora presents representatives, I shall therefore, with the view of giving a clearer idea of the whole, transcribe the characters assigned to each tribe, as given in Don's Edition of Millar's Gardener's Dictionary.
"Tribe 1st. — Ternstrcemie^e. — Calyx with 2 bracteas at the base. Petals connected together at the base, opposite the sepals. Anthers aclnate. Style crowned by a simple stigma. Albumen fleshy."
Of this tribe only one genus is known, namely, Ternstroemia. This is principally an American genus, but Dr. Wallich enumerates in his list of Indian plants. 7 species, though not all from the continent. Dr. Jack describes two more in the Malayan Miscellanies. Whether these are all genuine species of the genus may be doubted, with one only, T. crenulata Wall. I am acquainted, and with that imperfectly, as my specimens are all in fruit, but the seed departs from the character of the genus in having flattened foliaceous orbicular cotyledons, in place of linear terate ones; the radicle however points towards the hilum, and the whole embryo is inclosed in fleshy. Should a corresponding difference be found in the flower, this species will justly form the type of a distinct genus, to which several, if not all of the Indian species may perhaps be referable.
"Tribe 2d. — Eurye^e. — Calyx furnished with 2 bracteas at the base, of 5 sepals or 5 lobes. Corolla 5-parted, opposite the sepals. Anthers adnate. Style crowned by 3-5 distinct stigmas."
To this tribe three genera are referred, all of Asiatic origin, Jlnneslea, Wall. Geeria, Blume, and Eurya Thunb. Of the first, only one species is known, A. fragrans from Moulrnain : of the second Geeria, Blume has defined four species, but as already remarked, part, if not the whole, are referable to the next genus. Blume himself suspects two genera may be combined under his character, though it. seems more probable, they are all species of Eurya, as he informs us that Geeria only differs from Eurya, in having diaecious in place of polygamous flowers : surely a Very inadequate generic distinction. Eurya, of this genus Wallich's list contains 7 species to which one has since been added from the Peninsula.
"Tribe 3d.— Freziere^. — Calyx furnished with 2 bracteas at the base. Petals free, alternating with the sepals. Anthers adnate. Style crowned by 2-5 distinct stigmas. Seeds wingless. Albumen fleshy. Embryo rather curved."
