16 MR. D. OLIVER OS XUnA.STIA.CHJS. 



and Mr. Thwaites. Mr. Thwaites, in 'Enumeratio PI. Zeylaniae' 

 (p. 46), describes it as a new species of Bergera (B. nitida), point- 

 ing out, and unwittingly emphaticizing at the same time, its near 

 affinity with Piplostylis indica, known to him through Mr. Dal- 

 zell's description. Owing to this description having been based 

 upon the examination of specimens from probably but one tract 

 of country, it is a little too narrowly circumscribed ; hence, in 

 the absence of authentic examples, Mr. Thwaites' inability to iden- 

 tify the plants. Mr. Dalzell described the ovary as trilocular, 

 Mr. Thwaites found it, in the Ceylon plant, bilocular. From the 

 examination of specimens both from the mainland and from Cey- 

 lon, very closely according in every other character, I find the 

 ovary varying with 3, 4, or 5 cells, commonly, however, with 3. 

 I think the 2-celled ovary must be generally unusual. Of the 

 identity of Mr. Thwaites' plant with that from Bombay I have no 

 doubt. 



It was my intention, as stated when I read the introductory 

 portion of this paper before the Linnean Society, to retain the 

 genus Piplostylis — for the present, at least — as distinct. Upon 

 further consideration, however, especially in connexion with a 

 species which I had not examined minutely at that time, I feel 

 satisfied that the proper course is to unite it with Clausena. I 

 find that this plant (C. WaUichii) does not permit me a single ex- 

 cuse for maintaining it generically distinct : the relative position 

 of the ovules, and the carpellary symmetry pointed out by Mr. 

 Dalzell, both fail. C. Wallichii is another of those species in 

 which the ovules are found either superimposed or collateral. 

 Generally in 5-celled ovaries they appear to be superimposed; 

 when the cells are reduced to 4, as sometimes happens, we find, 

 in at least one cell, that the ovules are collateral. The inflo- 

 rescence, small flowers, and short distinct style present quite the 

 characters of Clausena (Piplostylis) indica ; approaching, also, 

 Murraya {Bergera) Konigii. C. indica, and the Javanese species 

 described below (which, had the genus been maintaiued, would 

 have been associated with it), offer, in the peculiar mode of branch- 

 ing of the inflorescence, and its rounded corymb-like or pyramidal 

 form, a fades which it is not easy to express, dependent chiefly 

 upon the straight secondary branches, undivided towards the base. 

 Mr. Dalzell' s figure, accompanying his notice, is well executed, and 

 gives a very fair idea of it. 



