much engaged and pressed for time, which is the only
apology I can offer for this and some other oversights
which I have now reason to regret.
1845. LrrsiEA oblonga (Nees), leaves oblong,
narrow at the apex, bluntish acute at the base, tri-
plinerved, uniformly coloured on both sides, scrobi-
culately reticulated and, with the ramuli, glabrous.
Courtallum. The drawing was made- from specimens
named by Nees. They seem to differ but little
from Ceylanica, except in being destitute, of white
bloom on the under surface of the leaves. '
1846. Lepidadenia Griffithii (R. W .), every
where glabrous: leaves oblong lanceplate, bluntish
or sometimes cuspidate, coriaceous, slenderly penni-
nerved, shining above, dull (when dried, brownish)
beneath: umbels axillary, sub-racemose on short
peduncles, long pedicelled: involucrum 4-leaved:
perianth 6-lobed: stamens 12, six glanduliferous:
perianth of the fruit cup-shaped, truncated, fruit
globose.
Malacca, Griffith. For the reasons stated above,
I have referred this plant here. Its principal peculiarity
consists in the great length of the pedicels of
the umbels, in which respect it is an easily distinguished
species. The analyses of the flowers are
taken from buds not quite opened, and may be incorrect
as regards the relative length of the stamens
and lobes of the perianth. I suspect, too, that it is
dioicous, but on that point do not feel certain. The
leaves are represented too sharp-pointed, many of
them being quite blunt.
1847. Cassyta filifokmis (Linn.), glabrous, spike
simple, peduncled: flowers distinct, stamens of the
outer series petaloid.
A parasitic herbaceous plant, extensively distributed
over India, common in low shrubby jungles.
In jungles ofrthis description near the Red Hills, a
few miles from Madras, it is very abundant.
I t seems an unnatural proceeding to place this
parasitic genus in the same family with the noble
frees forming the bulk of this large order, but still
it seems almost unavoidable so long as our ordinal
characters are derived from the fructification, for in
truth there is nothing in either the flowers or fruit
to justify its removal. The habit, however, is so very
remote from that of the rest of the order, that there
seems but too good grounds, on that head alone, for
following Lindley in separating it even though the
flowers are so perfectly Laurinous.
' SchmidiA (R. W.).
Gen. Char. Bracts 2, free to the base, calyx entire,
very short. Corolla tubular, opening obliquely;
limb 5-lobed, reflexed. Stamens sub-didynamous,
inserted near the middle of the tube, incluse; anthers
2-celled, straight, cells contiguous, parallel, prolonged
below the point of attachment and each ending in a
a longish subulate sp u r; no rudimentary filament.
Uvary 2-celled, with 2 ovules in each; stigma entire,
truncated: capsule globose at the base, ending in a
conical beak, 2-celled. Seed sub-globose flattened
next the partition.—A twining shrub, leaves opposite,
broad ovato-lanceolate, acuminate, subcrenato-dentate,
<j- 5-nerved, glabrous: racemes axillary, long, pendu-
ous, many-flowered: bracts small, subulate; brac-
teols large, sub-orbicular, reniform at the base, mucronate
(nearly an inch in diameter); when fresh, one-half
of a dark brownish-purple, the other pale yellowish,
or cream-coloured. Corolla tubular, exceeding the
bracteols, light blue, the lobes of the limb acutely
turned back on the apex of the tube.
I have dedicated, this handsome genus to the Rev.
Dr. Bernard Schmid of Ootacamund, whose botanical
collections have extended our acquaintance with the
Flora of the Neilgherries and, but for the untimely
death of Dr. Zenker, who had undertaken the publication
of these extensive and valuable materials,
would have proved of the greatest value to subsequent
explorers of the Flora of these elevated regions.
Two genera, one of Grasses the other of Composite,
have already, with the exception of a single letter,
(the terminal t, which Dr. S. informs me does not
belong to his name,) borne this name, and both are
reduced. T trust this one will prove more fortunate.
The genus is undoubtedly very nearly allied to both
Meyenia and Hexacentris, but does not enter either.
1848. S cHMIDIA BICOLOR (R. W.).
Western slopes of the Neilgherries below Sisparah.
I t is an extensive twiner and most conspicuous on
account of its_ long racemes and large 2-coloured
bracteoles, which are very remarkable. I t flowers
during the latter months of the year, and the fruit
is ripe in February. I suspect it is a rare flowering
plant, as I have twice visited the station in
February and March, and only found a few seed: this
season, 1850,1 received specimens from three different
persons, gathered in December and January.
1849. Casearia eliiptica (Willd., D. C.), flowers
5-parted, ten-anthered: pedicels axillary, aggregated,
1-flowered: leaves elliptico-lanceolate, somewhat serrated,
blunt, mucronate; the young ones velvety
beneath.
A ramous rather large shrub, not uncommon in
Southern India in jungles near the coast, especially
in rather rich moist soil. I t is frequent among the
bushes usually found about old “ Bowries” near pagodas.
The leaves, if held between the eye and the
light, are found perforated with numerous pellucid
points in which there is a mixture of long and round
ones, a peculiarity of such rare occurrence in the
vegetable kingdom that it forms an ordinal character
of much value. Roxburgh does not seem to have
met with this species, as its flowers do not correspond
with the character of those of any of his species.
1850. Gyrinops Walla (Gasrtner).
Ceylon. Of this genus tins is the only species,
hence it can have no specific character by which to
distinguish it.
The genus is distinguished by its tubular 5-cleft
perianth, 5 sessile anthers opposite the lobes, a long
stipitate ovary attenuated at the apex, a flattened
globose stigma, and a long stipitate coriaceous capsule.
The plant as seen in dried specimens is of a brownish
yellow colour, the leaves elliptic oblong, quite entire,
somewhat obtusely acuminate at the point, marked
with finely transverse veins. Flowers yellow,
about half an inch long, hairy in the throat and at the
base of the tube, like the ovary. Endlicher assigns
it a 1-celled ovary and 2 pendulous ovules. I find
in my specimen the ovary distinctly 2-celled with
1-ovule in each, attached to the partition as shown in
the plate.