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Mil. BE]S^TUAM ON LO&ANIACE-E. 59 



oli3erved, very closely with Manettia, but differs from all Buhiacece 

 and Loganiacece known to me in the bifid lobes of the style. That 

 this character, however, when it does occur, is of not more than 

 generic importance is evidenced by the analogous case of Cleonia 

 among Lahiatce, One only species, from North America, has hitjierto 

 been referred to Gelsemium^ but I have no hesitation in adding to 

 it as a second species a plant gathered by the late Major Champion 

 I m Hong Kong and by Blume in Sumatra. Gardner, in describing 



Major Champion's specimens xmder the name of Medicia elegans^ 

 did not fail to observe its affinities with the old Oelsemittm, but, 

 not having specimens to compare, thought himself justified in 

 distinguishing it generically, 1st, " by its imbricated not quincuncial 

 aestivation of the corolla," which, however, is decidedly quincuncial 

 in the Chinese as in the American plant ; 2nd, by its " inflated 

 capsule," which certainly is more inflated and less coriaceous in 

 the Chinese species than in G. nitidum, but this is a character of 

 degree, which appears rather specific than generic; 3rd, by its 

 numerous peltate compressed seeds, surroimded on all sides by 

 abroad inciso-dentate memibranous wing." I have no seeds of 

 G. nitidmn, but Alph. DeCandolle describes them as "erecta, 

 compressa, minutissime muricata, infeme broviter marginato- 

 alata, apice in alam amplam oblique oblongam expansa, hilo laterali 

 pauUo inferiore inter alam superiorem et marginem inferiorem." 

 This agrees with the seeds of the Chinese plant, except that in. 

 the latter the wing is nearly equal in breadth all round, with a^ 

 slight interruption near the hilum. These trifling differences do 

 not at all appear to me sufficient to warrant the generic sepa- 

 ration of two species in other respects so similar. The climbing 

 habit, the texture of the leaves, the form of the corolla are the 

 same. In the Chinese plant the leaves are rather broader, the 

 inflorescence looser, more regular and more generally terminal, and 

 the bracts, wliich are only to be found at the ramifications of the 

 C}Tne, are smaller. But in G. nitidum, although the peduncles are 

 generally axillary, but little branched with numerous bracts, yet 

 they vary much in all these respects. The real specific distinction 

 lies in the capsules, which are very turgid and blunt in the Chinese 

 plant, more compressed and ending in a prominent point in the 

 ^erican one. The flowers of the former are also smaller, and 

 tte fleshy base on which the ovaty rests is less prominent. I have 

 only seen the capsules of G. nitidum in t^'O specimens ; in one they 

 are of a hard textiu-e and about 9 lines long ; in the other they 

 are much thinner and bai-ely half that size, but had perhaps dried 





