MR. J. MIEKS ON THE SYMPLOCACE^. 297 



Paltjra. 



This Asiatic genus was first described in 1839 by G. Don as a 

 distinct section of Symplocos 1 ; Bentham in 1841 recognized this 

 view 2 ; DeCandolle adopted the same conclusion in 1844 3 , with a 

 more defined character. Palura should stand independently as 

 a genus differing from all others of the family in its bilocular 

 ovary and fruit. It may be thus defined : — 



Paltjra, G. Don (non Ham.). 



Flores hermaphroditi. Calyx urceolatus, semiinferus, semiquinque- 

 fidus, lobis acutis, patentibus. Corolla tubularis, semiquinquefida ; seg- 

 menta ovata, concava. Stamina 30-60, tubo corolla; inserta, inaequalia, 

 triseriata, segmenta non excedentia. Ovarium rotundato-oblongum, 

 disco biglanduloso et pyramidato superatum, biloculare, ovula in 

 quoque loculo pauca, superposita, pendentia. Stylus filiformis, lon- 

 gitudine petalorum ; stigma clavato-bilobuin. Fructus baccatus, ro- 

 timdato-oblongus, calycis limbo discoque coronatns ; nux conformis, 

 bilocularis (raro abortione 1-locularis), axi medulla vasorum nutrien- 

 tium perforata ; semina in loculis pauca, ovata, pendula. 



Arbuscute Asiaticce, ramosm; folia alterna, oblonga, integra, petiolata ; 

 flores in axillis pauci vel solitarii, parvi. 



1. P. sinica, nob. — Symplocos sinica, Ker, Hot. Reg. tab. 710 ; 

 G. Don, Diet. iv. p. 3, cum icone ; A. DC. Prodr. viii. p. 258. 

 Myrtus chinensis, Lour. Coch. i. p. 383- In China: non vidi. 



2. P. pendtjla, nob. — Symplocos pendula, E. Wight, Icon. iv. 

 tab. 1237 ; Thwaites, JEnum. p. 184. In Indise montib. Pulwai 

 (Carnatic) et Ceylon : non vidi. 



Loduea. 



So called from the vernacular name of Symplocos racemosa, 

 Roxb., one of its species. The name was first selected by D. Don 

 in 1825 4 to designate a section of Symplocos ; this was adopted by 

 G-. Don in 1837 5 ; it was described by Guillemin in the same year 6 ; 

 it was placed among the Asiatic species of Hopea by DeCandolle 

 in 1844 7 ; but was not proposed as a distinct genus until 1847, 

 when Decaisne did so 8 , founded on its type the Symplocos crate- 



1 Diet. iv. p. 3, in parte. 2 Linn. Trans, xviii. p. 229. 



3 Prodr. viii. p. 258. 4 Hor. Nepal, p. 145. 



5 Diet. iv. p. 2. 6 Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 2, vol. xv. p. 158. 



7 Prodr. viii. p. 253. " Voy. Jacquinot, p. 103. 



