Affinities. These, as already mentioned under Oleacece, I consider obscure. When
that article was written, and even in type, I was not aware that De Candolle had added
Schrebera (Roxb.), to the order. This addition, assuming that that genus is a true congener,
appears to add to the difficulty by rendering them more complex. At the present time most
Botanists coincide in considering Jasminece and Oleacece, very nearly allied orders, but distinct
especially as shown by the pentamerous tendency of the flowers of the former, as compared with
the tetramerous tendency of those of the latter. I have shown above that the transition from the
one to the other, is gradual and that they actually meet in Chondrospermum, which appertains
so far as yet known, about equally to both orders, being doubtfully placed in the one by Wallich
and in the other by De Candolle. To Lindley, however, it does not appear that Jasmines have
any real affinity with Olives, on the contrary he regards their unsymmetrical flowers, and
deeply lobed fruit, as suggesting a very different affinity and seem to point distinctly to those
monopetalous orders, in which the number of stamens is different from that of the divisions
of the corolla, such as Labiates and Verbenas, but particularly the latter which sometimes
resembles Jasmines, in their fruit, as happens in Clerodendron, As regards Jasminum I am
disposed to coincide with those Botanists who view its affinities as appertaining to the contortece
group of orders, Apocynacece, LoganiaGece, fyc.; but with respect to Nyctanthes, think that
Lindley’s views are nearer the truth. As regards Schrebera on the other hand, its affinities
fluctuate between Bignoniacece and Acanthacece, having the compound foliage, panicled inflorescence
and winged seeds of the former, with the hard capsule, and somewhat elastic dehiscence
(each valve bearing half the septum), of the latter, but differing from both in having the pendulous
ovules and seed of some Pedaliacece.
Assuming that all these genera are true congeners, it follows that the relationships of this
small order are most extensive and complex, Jasminum associating with one set of orders,
Nyctanthes with another, and Schrebera with a third. In a word, I view Jasminum as being
properly placed in Endlicher’s class Contortce, along with Apocynacece, Asclepiadece and Logan-
iacece: Nyctanthes in Lindley’s Echial* Alliance, with Boraginece and Verbenacece, while
Schrebera associates in some striking points with Pedaliacece, Bignoniacece and Acanthacece, of
the Bignonal alliance.
Geographical Distribution. India is certainly the head quarters of this order, in
nearly all parts of which they are found and in many places greatly abound. They extend
from the sea-coast to the tops of the highest mountains. From India several extend eastwards
as far as China, and the South Islands: some are natives of Africa and the adjoining Islands,
and several are natives of New Holland. Two species of Jasminum and four of Bolivaria, are
natives of South America, and two Jasmines claim the south of Europe as their native country,
where they are justly prized for the formation of arbours.
P roperties and Uses. These are not important. The flowers of J. officinale and
grandiflorum furnish the genuine essential oil of Jasmine, but an inferior kind is also, I believe,
in this country, extracted from J. Sambue, the flowers of which are also much used in the
formation of native ornaments such as necklaces, and for dressing the hair on occasions of
ceremony among the natives. The roots of one species is used medicinally as a remedy for
ringworm and herpes. And the orange-coloured tubes of Nyctanthes arbor tristis are much used
by the dyer to obtain a yellow dye.
Remarks on Genera and Species. Three genera only of this order are known in
India, Jasminum and Nyctanthes, and recently Schrebera has been added by De Candolle.
The flowers are much alike but the fruit very different, the first having a succulent berry,
the second a flattened capsule and the third a hard oblong pear-shaped one, so that there
* In the remarks on my 3d group, page 129,1 inadvertently named Lindley’s Echial Alliance as corresponding
with my 4th group, I therefore beg the favour of the reader deleting the words “ as suggested by Lindley who
places it in his Echial Alliance,” and inserting the word “however” alter carpels, in the following line.
is bo difficulty in distinguishing «them when fruit are available, 'and when flowers only
are found, their very distinct habits furnish good distinctive marks, the true Jasmines ‘being
nearly all twiners with smooth leaves; Nyctanthes erect shrubs with very rigid rough ones;
and Schrebera a tree with a smooth pinnate foliage. The discrimination of the species
of Jasmmmm is however often difficult. While naming those belonging to my Herbarium,
I found it a convenient plan to ga*eu,p those with very short blunt calyx lobes, most of which
I found had two ovules in each cell. The common Jasminum auriculatvm may be taken
as the type of this group, but some others are also distinguished by the ovaries having two
ovules in each cell. By this character therefore the genus might be conveniently divided into
two sections. De Candolle groups them according to their foliage, Unifoliolata, Trifoliolata,
Pinnatifolia, and Jlternifolia. ■ The first of these divisions is occasionally apt to mislead,
owing to the abortion of the lateral leaflets, an example of which is presented by J. brevilobum,
a trifoliolate species but placed in DG.’s first section. The ovary has four ovules, the lobes
of the calyx are very short and blunt, and the lateral leaflets small, as in J. cmriculatum,
whence i t may almost be viewed as an alpine .variety of that species.
The following extract from my Spicilegium Neiigherrense exhibits, in a few words, the
results I obtained while examining the ovaries -of a number of species of this genus, and
'leads to the conclusion that further investigations of the same kind are -required towards
the '(flucitaticm 'of the rest of the genus.
“The bulk of this (generic,) character is copied from De Candolle, but to render it applicable
to the genus, as 1 have found it in India, it was necessary to introduce a few words regarding
the ovary and ovules. In the original ‘Ovarium bilobum,’ is all that is said regarding that
important organ, and that little ;is not in accordance with my experience, the ovary not
being two-lobed, when the flower drops, though the fruit, owing to a peculiarity in its mode
of growth, afterwards becomes two-lobed. The number and position of the ovules, as here
stated, differ from the generally received character. In Endlicher’s'Genera Plantarum it is said,
‘Ovula in loenlis solitaria a -basi dissepimenti adscendentia anabropa.’ This is only partly right
as I have found many with 2 ovules-1 in each 'cell, and one, «perhaps «accidentally, with three; some
with them positively pendulous, from near the apex «of the «cell, and -several with them lateral,
but -attached above the middle, so «as to «be in truth «descending not «ascending ovules, but
few indeed, if any, really erect; -that therefore I eonsider.of rare occurrence, as compared with
the other structure.”
The genus Nyctanthes, consisting Of a single, welPknown species, does -not -require further
notice here, Schrebera, being comparatively rare, 'is less known. Roxburgh’s description is
imperfect in some points and his figure erroneous in one essential particular and deficient in
others. He due§ ’ not, for example, describe the structure of the ovary or seed, represents
the latter in the mature open capsule as erect, and does not clearly show the loculicidal
dehiscence ' and contrary partition. According -to my specimens, I find the corolla quincunekl
in estivation, the ovary 2-cel'led with 4 ovules, pendulous from the top of the partition in
each. The seed are similarly «pendulous wit-h the wing directed 'towards the base of the capsule.
The capsule^a-s mentioned' by Roxburgh, splits from the -apex into 2 valves, through
the middle of the partition, each valve bearing a half, as in Acanthacece. The seed is furnished
with a knife-shaped wing at the end, remote from the hilum; the endopleura is thick and
spoDgy-; the cotyledons large, fleshy, deeply furrowed, -enclosed in a ‘thin membranous albumen;
the radicle next the hilum, short. In other respects the description and figure, so
far as my rather «imperfect specimens enable me to judge, are correct.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 153.
Jasminum ’Gardnerianum (R. W.), shrubby, climbing and twining,.glabrous: leaves ovate, undulated, refuse,
pointed* petiol articulated near the base: cymes terminal, panicled; peduncles about the length of the leaves:
calyx 5-toothed, teeth short, acute: corolla about 8-lobed; lobes lanceolate, acute, the length of the tube: anthers
oblong, connective, produced into a long point: ovules 1 in each cell, amphitropous: berry solitary by abortion,
oblong! oval, obtuse at both ends,-dark purple. -Coimbatore, frequent, climbing over hedges and bushes, flowering
the .greater «part .of the year but in greatest perfection in April and May. Flowers white, about the size of those