This exposition of the characters of the genera of this order leaves no room to doubt,
that the plant have figured is a true Michelia.
The genus Michelia under Blume’s amended and simplified character, is one of easy recognition,
but the determination of the species, owing to the great accession which has been made
to their number, is now most difficult, not so much, perhaps, from their not affording adequate
discriminating marks, as from their never having been subjected to a sufficiently comprehensive
scrutiny to admit of their proper characters being elicited, by a careful comparison of one with
another. Nor indeed is this to be wondered at, when we consider how seldom opportunities
occur of examining them in their native places, and how few have yet found their way into cultivation.
It is not without, feelings of regret that I find myself forced, from the imperfection of my
materials, to leave this task to another, or at all events to postpone the examination until some
future opportunity, as the very few species of which I possess specimens, barely enables me to conjecture,
what series of organs are most likely to furnish either good specific marks or sectional
subdivisions. For the latter purpose the number of spathes or bracts enveloping the young flower
bud may prove serviceable, namely, whether two or three. For example, in M. Champaca,
there are two, one exterior, and early caducous, which, (for convenience) I call bractial, and one
closely embracing the flower, which (for the same reason)'I call calycine, while in M. Pul-
ntyetisis there are three, one bractial and two calycine. The number of petals will perhaps be
found to furnish another set of good characters, though for the present that seems doubtful;
but the number in each verticel whether 3, 4, or 5, promises to afford excellent sectional characters,
since it may be presumed, that that series of numbers will be constant in each species.
These structural differences, aided by variations in the forms and surfaces of the leaves; whether
rough or smooth, glabrous or clothed; the colour, kind, and degree of clothing, of the spathes;
the form, size, colour, and whether smooth or warty, of the carpels; and lastly, the number of
seeds in each compared with the ovules, ought I think, to present such a combination of easily
recognizable characters, as should leave but little difficulty in distinguishing a much more extended
series of species, than we have any reason to believe appertains to this genus.
To what extent these hints for the discrimination of species will be found to avail in practice,
it is difficult to say, but it seems desirable that they should speedily be brought to the test
of experience, since there is no genus, of the same extent, in which it is so difficult to determine
the species. Much attention, and the examination of numerous specimens will no doubt be
required towards the determination of the value of characters taken from the corolla, but those
taken from the spathes and fruit, will, I suspect, be more steady, and, by so much, more valuable,
at the same time, that they are more easily ascertained.
Adopting the number of spathes as a sectional character in the manner mentioned above,
the following distribution of species into two leading sections, will probably be found correct.
1st. Flower buds with one bractial and one calycine spathe.
M. Champaca, M. excelsa, M. Doltsopa, M. Kisopa, M. aurantiaca, M. fuscata, M.
nilagirica 9 and three undescribed species in my herbarum from Ceylon.
2d. W'ith one bractial and two calycine spathes.
M. Pvlneyensis, M. lanuginosa (?) and perhaps some of the Magnolice of DeCandolle’s-
second section, which are referable to this genus.
The Nepal species with the exception of the last, T have referred to the first section on the
authority of the following passage in Wallich’s Tentamen FI. Nepalensis, “ they (the flower
buds) are enveloped in two entire membranous rounded spathes, the outer one much sooner
caducous than that within.” Such is the case with the outer or bractial spathe of M. Pulney-
ensis, while the two interior ones seem to separate about the same time. M. lanuginosa, I
have doubtfully referred to the second section, owing to two bracts being represented in the
figure as if caducous about the same time ; while in the others, one only is figured. Should the
sectional characters I have proposed be found applicable to all the species I have respectively
referred to them, there can be no doubt of my plant being distinct from all, unless it should be
found that M. nilagirica is incorrectly described, which I fear is the case, though from never
having seen specimens, I do not feel myself at liberty to offer any opinion on the subject. I
may here observe that the cluster of fruit represented in my figure does not belong to the true
M. Pulneyensis, but to a new and distinct species, (namely,. M. Rheedii of this work,) and
w&S 1 HOW think father unfortunately, introduced, merely as an example of the fruit of the
genus. To prevent confusion however, I shall in a future number, publish a figure of an entire
specimen* such as I found them.
The following synopsis of Indian species of Michelia, arranged on the principles above
explained, though probably far from correct, is offered, in the hope that it may prove useful to
those who may have opportunities of examining recent specimens, by directing attention to
those points whence it seems probable, good characters may be derived, and thereby enable
them to draw up such descriptions as will furnish botanists with the materials required to define,
with precision, the species of this hitherto most difficult genus. The want of specimens or
figures of the Eastern forms, prevents my attempting to introduce any of them.
§ 1. One bractial and one calycine spathe.
A. Petals numerous, (12-15) in a ternary or quinary
order.
1. M. Champaca, Leaves ovate, oblong, much acuminated,
acute at the base, the midrib beneath, petiois,
peduncles and spathes, silky—Blume.
Leaves lanciolate, glabrous—D . C.
Leaves lanciolate—L in . fVilld. Persoon.
■ Such are the brief and vague characters assigned to
this species; hence it is not to be wondered at, that the
habitation allowed is equally vague and unlimited;
namely* the whole of India and the Eastern Archipelago.
As synonyms, DeCandolle quotes Rumphius,
Herb. Amboynense 2—tab. 67, and Rheede Hort. Mal.
1 tab. 19; which, judging from the figures and the descriptions
are, I think, different plants.
According to Rumphius’s figure, the leaves are ovate
lanciolate, tapering to a slender point, and are described
as f‘ being a span long, and two inches broad,”
(agreeing so far with Blume’s character) the flowers
have 15 petals, ranged in three rows, or in a quinary
ordèr, thè five exterior ones smaller than the middle
row, while the interior are much smaller than either;
and laSlly, the stamens are described as numerous,
short and thick, bearing roundish anthers', a peculiarity,
which at once separates it from all continental Indian
species. Rheede’s description is less explicit, but still
such as to afford good grounds for separating his from
the Amboyna plant. The leaves, according to the
figure, are elliptic, much acuminated, and attenuated at
the base, until they imperceptibly pass into the petiol.
The petals are said to be in yerticels of eight, indicating
a quaternery order, (thus associating it with Wallich’s
M. excelsa) the inner row passing into stamens ;
which are said to be cuspidate, as in the other Indian
species. The fruit are differently represented by each,
but by neither w e ll; but Rheede describes the ovaries
of his plant as terminating in a circular scutelliform
point; a very unusual appearance in the genus, but
which, I have ascertained to exist in the ovaries of the
fruit represented in my plate, and from which I infer
that that spike presents a correct figure of the fruit of
Rheede’s plant. This therefore 1 propose separating
from Rumphius’ plant as a new and distinct species, to
be afterwards defined in its, presumed, proper place, under
the nahie of M. Rheedii. Whether Blume and
Rumphius describe the same plant, I leave to eastern
botanists to determine, as I have seen neither.
J 2. M. Doltsopa. (Wall. Tent. FI. Nep.) Leaves elliptic
oblong, much acuminated, slightly pubescent beneath,
long petioled: stipules and spathes clothed with
rusty coloured pubescence: petals 15, arranged in
quinary verticels, sub-pubescent, mixed with minute
spots at the base: styles short, recurved, very papillose.
W)ods o f the valleys and lower hills o f Nepal—
Wall. The fruit is neither described nor figured.
I have adopted Wallich’s figure and description in
this and the following, for the type of these species,
as he seems to have no doubt of the identity of
his plants, and those of Buchanan Hamilton, and
DeCandolle.
3. M. Kisopa. (Wall. 1. c.) Leaves ovate, lanciolate,
acuminated* coriacious, glabrous: stipules and spathes
villous, whitish, the last very obtuse: petals 12 (ternary
P) nearly equal, acute: ovaries villous: styles
longish, recurved: carpels remote, smooth, sub-globose,
contracted a t the base as if pedicelled, not ver-
rucose, three or four seeded: seeds enclosed in red
pull).
Found in many o f the woods o f Nepal■—Wall.
The rachis of the fruit is represented as branched:
this must surely be a very unusual occurrence, yet it is
not alluded to in the description, which merely mentions
the spike as being tortuous. It is perhaps attributable
to an error of the draughtsman, who has taken
that method of representing a tortuous spike. The
carpels o f this species are tbo smooth, and free from
warty inequalities on their surface, to admit of this being
associated with my M. Rheedii.
4. M. aurantiaca (Wall. Plant. Asiat. Rar. 2. 39
tab. 147 ) Young shoots, petiois, and peduncles, hairy :
leaves ovate, oblong, ending in along attenuated acumen,
acute at the base, pubescent beneith : stipules and
spathes, clothed with greenish brown pubescence:
petals numerous (20) in a quinary order, (orange
coloured) stamens numerous, sessile, much shorter
than the column of fructification: ovaries densely congested,
ovate: styles recurved: ovules—fruit—
Pegu near Rangoon, flowering in September—Wall.
5. M. Walkerii. Young shoots villous, leaves elliptic,
lanciolate, acuminated, acute at the base, glabrous,
except the young ones which are clothed beneath with
silky pubescence : stipules and spathes silky : petals
about 12, narrow, lanciolate, pointed : stamens numerous,
mucronate, equalling or exceeding the colums of
fructification, half the length of the petals : ovaries 2
ovuled: carpels globose, one seeded, slightly warted.
Ceylon in woods, Nuera Ellia, flowering in March
and April. First communicated by Colonel Walker,
and afterwards gathered by myself.
A large shrub or small tree, the smaller leaves towards
the ends of the branches, narrow, lanciolate, the
larger ones elliptic, oblong, coriacious, 2§ to 3 inches
long, and one broad, short petioled.
B. Petals few (6-9) in a ternary order.
6. M. ovalifolia. (R. W.) Glabrous, leaves elliptic,
broader towards the point, abruptly and shortly acuminated,
acute, passing imperceptibly into the petiol, at
the b ase: stipules and spathes clothed with stiff short
appressed shining hairs: petals 6, spreading, obovate,
obtuse: stamens numerous, nearly sessile, mucronate,
shorter than the column of fructification; ovaries few,
three ovuled, style Curved at the point, equalling the
ovaries: fruit—