It is at once distinguished from all the species with
which I am acquainted, by its anthers being prolong-*
ed at the apex, and cleft into two thin lamella?: leaves
about an inch long and 8 lines broad, obtuse at both
ends, becoming blackish in drying: capitula of
flowers usually sessile, but sometimes borne on a short
peduncle from 6 to 10 together.
1225. Diospyros Mo n t a na ? (Roxb.): leaves
ovate acute, obtuse at the base, glabrous, membranaceous
: racemes- reflex-patulous, nearly twice the
length of the petiol, male 5-6 flowered, female one
flowered : bracts and lobes of the calyx ovate, acute,
ciliate: corolla of the male twice the length of the calyx:
stamens length of the tube.—Leaves 2 to 2$ inches
long, from 1 inch to an inch and quarter broad, nar*
rowing towards the apex. Flower buds ovoid conical,
stamens of the male flowers lanceolate, geminate, not
two anthers to one filament. Female flowers tetran-
drous, ovary globose, 8 celled, styles 4, divided, according
to Roxburgh, at the apex.
Courtallum, subalpine forests.
Several circumstances tend to make me now doubt
whether this is Roxburgh's plant, or even a variety of
it. It unquestionably corresponds in most points
with his description, but the form of the calyx does not
correspond, and the stigmas are not cleft. Willd-
now has given a brief character and very imperfect
description of another plant, which he recognised as a
distinct, species, under the name of D. orixensis.
From his character it scarcely appears that they are
different, but it is not probable that he would have
described two specimens of the same plant as distinct
species : may not this therefore be the female plant of
D. orixensis of which he might not have had a specimen.
This I can only advance as a conjecture, and
as my plant agrees in so many points with Roxburgh’s
' description, I retain his name, but with a mark of
doubt attached.
1226. D iospyros o bo vat a (R. W.) glabrous,
except the pedicels and calyx : leaves broad obovate
obtuse, tapering towards the base, coriaceous, entire :
flowers axillary, sessile, aggregated in dense capitula,
calyx deeply 4 lobed ; lobes unequal imbricated, in*
terior pair glanduliferous at the apex: corolla 6
lobed, about the length of the calyx, lobes obtuse:
stamens 18, filaments very short, anthers apiculate : a
large free, style-like, rudimentary ovary in the centre.
The female of this species is still unknown to me,
but as it seems a very distinct one and may be easily
recognised from the figure, I have thought it desirable
to give it a place here. The peculiar^ calyx seems to
render it probable that it may forfiithe type of a new
genus when better known.
1227. Diospyros o v a l ifo l ia (R. W.) glabrous,
bark greyish, corrogated : leaves oval glabrous
slightly coriaceous: flowers aggregated on short
peduncles on the naked branches: calyx hairy, 5
lobed : corolla twice the length of the calyx, 5 cleft:
stamens numerous, subhypogynous, filaments short,
bearing two linear acute geminate anthers : hermaphrodite,
flowers like the male with a 2 celled ovary.
1228-29. Ma ba neilgerrensis (R. W. M. Ebi-
nus on the plate) ramuli slender glabrous : leaves elliptic
lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, membranaceous
glabrous : flowers axillary, males several, females solitary
; calyx campanulate, 3 lobed, hairy on both sides: (I
corolla tubular, 3 lobed, about twice the length of the
calyx : stamens 6, sub-hypogynous unequal, hairy at
the base: ovary 3 celled, ovules paired, stigma 3
lobed, berry 3 seeded.
Woods about Coonoor on the Neilgherries.
When naming the drawing, I did not sufficiently
advert to some points of the specific character nor
to the description given by Rumphius, being unfor-
tunately satisfied with a comparison of the figures
which sufficiently accord. This oversight led to the
mistake of naming the figure M. Ebinus, which I did
not discover in time to have it corrected. The much
larger flowers of this sufficiently distinguish the two
species. It seems nearly allied to M. Smeathmanni
hut is, I think, quite distinct.
1230. Symplocos pulchra (R. W.) shrubby,
diffuse : ramuli, leaves, peduncles and bracts clothed
with long brownish hair : leaves ovate oblong, acuminate,
slightly cordate, setosely serrated: peduncles
axillary filiform, several flowered (3-4) calyx lobes
ciliate, corolla glabrous, ovary pubescent, 3 celled.
Sispara on the Western slopes of the Neilgherries
on the banks of streams, flowering in February.
A beautiful species, the snow white flowers contrasting
with excellent effect with the brownish tawny
coloured under surface of the leaves against which
they press in the growing plant.
1231. Symplocos Ga rdneriana. Arboreous
ramuli ferrugenio-tomentose: leaves petioled, elliptic
acuminate, denticulate, glabrous above, tomentose on
the costa beneath, pubescent on the lamina, veined
(4th series of veins visible under the len s)racem es
axillary, about half the length of the leaves : flowers
crowded, bracts, bracteols and calyx tomentose: style
the length of the stamens, stigma capitulate.
In woods between Ootacamund and Pycarrab, on
the Neilgherries, flowering in February. A considerable
tree of great beauty when covered with its
numerous white flowers and deep green leaves.
1232. S ymplocos microphylla (R.W.)fruti*
cose, ramous, glabrous : leaves elliptic,obtuse, serrated,
coriaceous, glabrous, or with a few hairs on the costa
beneath, racemes axillary about twice the length of
the petiols, pilose : bracts ovate, obtuse, and like the
calyx pubescent : lobes of the calyx suborbicular,
ciliate : corolla scarcely longer than the stamens. ’
Neilgherries, high on the hills behind the Avalanche
Bungalow on the banks of small streams, flowering in
February. 6
A very ramous bush 5 or 6 feet high, and when
found was covered with its numerous fragrant white
flowers, leaves from 1 to l£ inch long, and from 8 to
10 lines broad, slightly crenato-serrated. Fruit I
have not seen.
1233. Symplocos o-btusa (Wall.) leaves elliptic
obovate, orbicular above, tapering towards the base
subdenticulate: racemes axillary, twice the length
of the petiols, simple, and like the flowers glabrous •;
lobes o f the calyx roundish.—Leaves 3 inches long
12-15 lines broad, veins prominent beneath, no
quaternary on e s: bracts caducous: tube of the
calyx obconical, flowers subsessile, lobes of the calyx
ciliolate.—D . C. Prod., 8, 255.
Neilgherries, frequent in woods about Ootacamund,
flowering during the dry season, April and May. M)