group in the extensiye family of Leguminous plants. At Martaban I fotnul a tl.ird member of tbat same group also 

 of great beauty, Bm^hma mnegata, planted close to the Amherstk. I had my draughtsman with me on purpose to 

 compare and correct the figure he had already made from the Martaban specimens " ^ 



There can be no question that this tree, when in full foliage and blossom, is the most strikingly superb object which 

 can possibly be nnagmed. I have very great satisfaction in naming it after the Right Honourable Countess Amherst 

 and her daughter Lady Sarah Amherst, the zealous friends and constant promoters of all the branches of Natural 

 History, especially Botany, who, after a residence of nearly five years in India, during which they performed an 

 arduous and extensive journey to the lofty regions of western and northern Hindustan, spending many weeks amon- 

 the mountains near the Himalaya, at an elevation of 10,000 to 12,000 feet, have returned to England with a large 

 and very interesting collection of preserved specimens of plants, gathered and excellently preserved by their own 

 skill and industry. 



. The leaves are ample, pinnate, and of a dark green colour; while young they are glaucous-purple and hang dow 

 loosely, together with the tender shoots to which they are attached. Tlie leaflets are large, oblong, tapering into a 

 most slender point, very glaucous underneath, and furnished with slender prominent rib and nerves, the latter uniting 

 towards the margin in a most elegant manner. The flowers are numerous and very large, scentless, of a briUiairt 

 vermilion colour, diversified with three yellow spots ; they are arranged in gigantic ovate bunches, pendulous on their 

 long peduncle, and partially hidden beneath the profuse and elegant foliage. I have only seen one single pod, which 

 was unripe ; it was sword-shaped, flattened, with one of the margins thick and ribbed, seven inches long, pointed, 

 dark red, containing five or six imperfect seeds. 



By the assistance of my people I was able to procure some layers for the botanic garden at Calcutta ; two of these, 

 I attempted to bring with me to England, but although they produced fresh shoots soon after their embarkation, 

 they perished early during the voyage. 



The genus is nearly allied to Heterostemon of Desfontaine, but differs in the large valvate floral bracts, five- 

 petalled irregular corolla, ten diadelphous stamens, and finally in having all the anthers polliniferous. Together 

 with that genus, Jonesia, Bauhinia, and some others having a distinctly tubular calyx, it may perhaps be fitly 

 separated into a distinct order, to which I would propose the designation of BmiUmeoB. 



Plate I. A branch with a leaf and a raceme ; much reduced. Fig. 1. A leaflet ; natural size. 



Plate II. Fig. 1. Flower-bud. 2. The same opened. 3. The same, the calyx and corolla being removed to show the stamens. 

 4. An expanded flower. 5. The same dissected. 6. Ovarium opened. 7- Unripe pod. All the fgures of the natural size. 



STERCULIA POPULIFOLIA. Tab.* 3. 



FoLiis rotundato-cordatis, acuminatis, integris, membranacels, glabris ; racemis axillaribus, pedunculatls, ramosis, 

 foliis brevioribus ; perianthii laciniis linearibus, elongatis, revolutis, obtusis ; foUiculIs ventricoso-ovatis, ala obtusis- 

 sima, cultriformi terminatis, longe stipitatis, glabris, intds villosis. 



Sterculia populifolia, Roocb. Hort. Beng. 50. 



Sterculia populifolia, ^ acutiuscula, Decand. Prodr. 1. 483. 



In Coromandelia detexit Benj. Heyne, misitque in hortum botanicum Calcutta^, ubi prima vice floruit Aprill 1823. 

 Fructus maturi mense Junii. 



Arbor 20-pedalis, trunco recto, valde jequali, cortice leevigato, cinereo. Rami juniores valdfe glauci, ferfe pruinosi, cylindrici ; novis- 

 simi un4 cum foliis tenellis tomento copioso, stellato, ferrugineo obtecti. Folia ad apicem ramorum approximata, sparsa, patentia, 

 subrotundo-cordata, integerrima, in acumen gracile attenuata, sinu baseos profundo, triangulari, lobisque divergentibus rotundatis ; 4 — 

 6-pollicaria, membranacea, glaberrima ; supra nitida, punctis minutis, elevatis densfe conspersa, subtus glauca, 7-nervia, nervis prjeterea 

 duobus obsoletis, brevibus, marginalibus, axillis omnium cano-villosis ; reticulato-venosa. Petiolus teres, gracilis, laminam folii longi- 

 tudine sequans, glaber, utrinque parilm intumescens. Stipul^e longiusculee, subulato-filiformes, subcarnosee, villosa;, caducissimae. 

 Racemi axillares, solitarii, vel ex vestigiis foliorum delapsorum tuncque paniculati, ramulosi, pedunculati, erecto-patentes, petiolos 

 subaequantes, rar6 iisdem longiores, pauciflori, ramulis brevibus, alternis, remotis. Pedunculi teretes, graciles, camosi, pube minuta, 

 stellata parcfe conspersi, demilm glabri ; universalis 2-pollicaris ; partiales poUicares. Bractea parvula, linearis, emarcida, cit^ decidua 

 infra divisuras pedunculorum. Flores duo tresve fasciculati, brev^ pedicellati, coccinei, odorati. Perianthium profundi divisum in 

 lobos 5 lineares, recurvatos, obtusos, ferfe poUicares, integerrimos, suprk coccineos, cano-puberulos, subtiis flavicantes et tomentosos. 

 Anthers minutae, oblongse, sessiles, aurantiaca?, biloculares, duplici serie circum basin ovarii dispositse: 5 inferiores angulis hujus 

 oppositai, .5 superiores iisdem alternantes. Ovarium ovatum, attenuatum, densfe villosum, obtus^ 5-angulare, nutans, suffiiltum^ pedicello 

 ex fundo perianthii orto, 4-lineari, basi capillaceo, gracillimo, sursum ampliato et clavato, apice acuto ; 5-loculare ; locula polyspora, ovulis 



