86 



MB. O. BEN.TUAM ON BIXACEiE AND SAMTBACE^. 



having only 5 stamens alternating with the sepals, and as many 

 glands opposite the sepals as in Homalieae ; but the habit and 

 other characters are so much those of Azara, that we feel scarcely 

 justified in proposing it as a distinct genus, unless the differences 

 be continued through other species. 



Scolopia, Schreb. 

 Clos has shown sufficient reason for adopting Schreber's earlier 

 name of Scolopia in lieu of Phoberos of Loureiro, which has been 

 more frequently in use. The genus is well characterized, and we 

 have probably about 15 species in our herbaria, including several 

 unpublished Australian ones ; but several of those enumerated by 

 Clos require revision. The genus is unrepresented in America. 



Flacoubtia, Liter., and Xtlosma, Font. 

 The Asiatic Flacourtias, the American Flacourtias or Hisin- 

 geras, and the Pacific Xylosmas, are all so closely allied that no 

 character whatever has been pointed out in the male individuals 

 by which they can be generically separated. In the females, how- 

 ever, the true Asiatic Flacourtias have, in the structure of their 

 completely several-celled ovary, so anomalous in the Order, and 

 m the bony endocarp separating the ripe seeds, too positive a 

 distinction to be neglected, and must now be admitted as a well- 

 established genus. Clos thought, also, that he found in the styles 

 and stigmas sufficient to separate the Hisingeras or American Fla- 

 courtias of previous authors from Xylosma. Asa Gray has, how- 

 ever shown that this character completely breaks down, especially 

 in the Japanese species ; and Grisebach has followed his example, 

 in referring all the Hisingeras to Xylosma. In further confirma- 

 tion of the correctness of this view, we may state that the Fla- 

 courtia chnensis, Clos, and Hisingera japonica, Sieb. and Zucc, 

 appear to be specifically identical. Considering the two genera 

 as thus limited, 18 species of Flacourtia and 27 of Xylosma (in- 

 cluding Hisingera) have been enumerated by Clos. Grisebach 

 reduces, however, to Xylosma nitidum at least six of Clos's Hisin- 

 geras. It is possible that a careful monographist might not go 

 quite so far in this amalgamation; yet as far as we can judge from 

 a hasty inspection, we think that the fairest estimate of the num- 

 ber of species of the two genera more or less known or deposited 

 in our herbaria, is about 12 for Flacourtia and about 25 for Xy- 

 losma. 



