Tas. 4908. 
TUPIDANTHUS catyprratus. 
Calyptrate Tupidanthus. 
Nat. Ord. ARALIACER.—POLYANDRIA MoNoGyYNIA. 
Gen. Char. Tupidanthus, Hook. fil. et Thoms. Calycis tubus late clavatus v. 
hemisphzricus, cum pedicello continuus (non articulatus), apice late explanatus, 
truncatus ; limbus cum petalis in calyptram coriaceam depressam deciduam arcte 
concretus. Stamina plurima, patentia, ore calycis inserta ; filamentis crasse subu- 
latis; antheris oblongis. Discus epigynus latissimus, obscure 4—8-lobus, centro 
depressus et rima stigmatifera 4-cruri v. 3-cruri insculptus. Ovarium moultilocu- 
lare, loculis angustissimis radiantibus rimeeformibus ; ovulis solitariis, pendulis ; 
stylo nullo. Bacca coriacea, multilocularis, polysperma.—Arbor alte scandens, 
parce ramosa, trunco ramisque subfuniformibus ; foliis longe petiolatis, digitatim 
sub-8-foliolatis ; foliolis petiolulatis, oblongo- v. obovato-lanceolatis, acuminatis, in- 
legerrimis, glaberrimis ; umbellis lateralibus compositis ; pedunculis pedicellisque 
crassissimis, articulatis ; floribus viridibus ; staminibus pallide stramineis. 
Turtpantaus calyptratus. Hook. fil. et Thoms. MSS. 
This is perhaps the most remarkable plant of the Natural Or- 
der to which it belongs. It was discovered by Drs. Hooker and 
Thomson in the humid tropical forests at the base of the Khasia 
mountains in eastern Bengal; but the plant in Kew, from which 
the accompanying drawing is taken, had been received from the 
Belgian Gardens, and was considered to be derived from Java. 
In its native forests it forms a gigantic climber, with a trunk 
_ which, though as thick as the human thigh at the base, is slen- 
der in proportion to the great dimensions which the plant attains. 
It ramifies very sparingly, and the flowers and leaves appear 
only towards the ends of the branches. In the stove at Kew 
it flowered while still erect, and about ten feet high. The flowers, 
when the calyptra remains attached, resemble mallets, whence 
the generic name. The coalescence of the calyx-lobes and corolla 
into an arched coriaceous calyptra, all of which had unfortunately 
fallen when our drawing was made, together with the numerous 
stamens, the total absence of styles, and very numerous cells of 
the ovary, are perhaps unique characters in the Order. The 
APRIL Ist, 1856. 
