in the Herbarium of Kew a plant from Cachar (north-east 
of Bengal) in young fruit which so strongly resembles that 
of Idesia that it may prove to be a second species of the 
genus; the leaves are oblanceolate, and not glaucous 
beneath. : 
Idesia is a native of Japan, where it occurs both wild 
and cultivated. It was introduced into Europe by Dr. 
Regel, of the St. Petersburg Botanical Gardens, and was 
subsequently largely diffused by M. Linden. The Royal 
- Gardens of Kew have received it from several Continental 
sources. 
The berries are remarkable for staining the Herbarium 
paper black or dark brown, which suggests their use for 
ink; they are said to be eatable, but are probably not 
worth eating; and if they stain the mouth as they do paper, 
they are not likely to prove popular. The specimen from 
which our figure was taken is a small tree in the Kew 
arboretum, where it is quite hardy, flowering in Midsummer. 
Descr. A tree forty to fifty feet high; bark smooth, 
white or yellowish; branches stout, with thick pith, covered 
with scars of fallen leaves and lenticels. Leaves long- 
petioled, drooping, five to ten inches long and sometimes 
eight inches broad, very variable in shape, usually cordate 
and acuminate, sometimes oblong or even orbicular, deep 
green, quite glabrous except at the axils of the nerves 
beneath, which are bearded, teeth distant, under surface 
glaucous; petiole four to six inches long, often red; stipules 
minute. Panicles shorter than the leaves, pendulous, many- — 
and sparse-flowered, puberulous, rachis branches and pedi- 
cels slender. Matz rn. half aninch diameter. Sepals oblong, 
obtuse, spreading, pubescent; tip entire or toothed. Stamens 
numerous, filaments hairy, anthers didymous. FsMaLe FL. 
smaller than the male. Sepals broader and shorter, erect. 
Staminodes numerous, minute, with interposed glands. 
Ovary shortly stipitate, globose; placentas three to six; 
styles three to six, radiating from the top of the ovary, 
with club-shaped or capitellate stigmas; ovules very many. 
Berries very numerous, as large as small grapes, globose, 
orange-yellow with a greenish pulp. Seeds very many, 
ovoid, smooth ; testa crustaceous.—J. D. H. 
Fig. 1, Section of fem.-flower; 2, sepal and staminodes ; 3 and 4, staminodes and 
interposed glands of disk; 5, pistil; 6, stigma; 7, transverse section of ovary :— 
all enlarged. : 
