70 



siraus. Stigmata 5, teretia, apice pariiin divergentia, staminum sterilium longitudine. Capsula subglobosa, obsoletissime truncato-conica, 

 dens^ villosa, magnitudine pisi, calyce involucroque persistentibus laxiuscul^ obtecta et subocculta, vertice levissim^ depressa, 

 acutiuscula, 5-rarissiin5 7-locularis, parfim ultn\ medium dehiscens in valvulas 5, rima angusta separatas, basi arete connexas, firmas, 

 eoriaceas, intils pallidissimfe ferrugineas nitidasque. Semina duplici serie angulo loculi interiori, barbato inserta, horizontalia, obovata, 

 retuso-siibumbilicata, inicqualia, rugosula, 6 in quoque loculo, quorum aliquot seepihs abortiva. Integumentum coriaceum. Perisper- 

 MUM album, carnosum. Embryo magnus, erectus, varie plicatus, cotyledonibus foliaceis, retusis, radicula cylindrica, infera. 



That the above plant belongs unquestionably to Forskal's genus Melhatiia, as characterized in the second edition of 

 Hortus Kewensis, I have no less authority than that of Mr. Brown for stating. He has likewise informed me, that 

 a specimen and a drawing of it are preserved in the late Dr. Hamilton's collection of Burmese plants at the British 

 Museum, under the designation, '■'novum genus: species seciinda" of which the species prima is Pentapetes phcenicea. 

 It is a very elegant species, which delights in arid, sandy, and exposed situations. I found it on the high banks of 

 the Irawaddi, from Melloon to Yenongheun, especially at the latter place, among the ravines near the petroleum 

 wells ; I also met with it on the mountain called Taong Dong, near Ava. 



I am indebted to my friend Professor LIndley for the elegant carpological details in the accompanying plate. 



Plate LXXVII. Fig. 1. Flower analysed. 2. Involucre detached. 3. Calyx and pistil. 4. Stamens detached. 



5.6. Ovary opened. 7- Capsule greatly enlarged. 8. The same, divided transversely. 9.10. Seeds. 11.12. The same, 



divided horizontally and vertically. 



PONGAMIA ATROPURPUREA. Tab. 78. 



FoLiis 3 — 4-jugis ; pinnis oblongis, attenuato-obtusis, coriaceis, laevibus ; floribus densissime racemosis, paniculatis, 

 terminalibus ; leguminibus ovato-lanceolatls, acutis, 1-spermis, laevibus. 



Habitat in sylvis litoreis provincial Martabaniae ad Amherst, Moalmyne, alibique, florens mensibus Decembri — Fe- 

 bruario, fructificans Martio. 



Nomen Burmanicum : Lathin et Chukkha. 



Arbor vasta, umbrosa, trunco praealto, recto, cortice rimoso, sordid^ fusco. Ramuli cylindrici, cinerei, calloso-punctati ; novelli, uti 

 pedunculi cano-pubescentes. Folia patcntia, altorna, petiolata, impari-pinnata, pedalia et ultra. PiNNiE paribus 3 vel 4 suboppositae, 

 praeter terminalem imparem, oblongse, integerrimee, attenuatse, obtusiuscul^ acuminatae, basi obliqu^ rotundatae, latere nemp^ inferiore an- 

 gustiore et acuto, brev^ petiolatae, coriaceae, laeves, atrovirides, supn\ nitidse, subtiis nervis gracilibus, \a\dh oblique excurrentibus, suboppo- 

 sitis, costaque prominentibus, reticulato-venulosae ; 5-pollicares, deorsiim decrescentes, infimse sublatiores ; terminalis proximo pari minor. 

 Petiolus communis cylindricus, exsulcus, 6 — 8-poUicaris, vix puberulus, basi vald^ tumidus, infra jugum primum pinnarum 2- vel 3-pol- 

 licaris, inter paria harum gracilis, 2-pollicaris, ad insertioncs levit^r dilatatus ; partiales cylindrici, rugosuli, 3-lineares, basi articulati. 

 STiPULiE nuUse nisi protuberantia parvula, obsoleta, utrinque ad-petiolorum insertionem. Panicula magna, terminalis, ovata, elongatione 

 rami par^m elevata, constans racemis pluribus, crccto-patentibus, cylindricis, digitum longum, diametro pollicari, approximatis, subses- 

 silibus, densifloris, simplicibus, nunc bifidis. Flores numerosissimi, speciosi, inodori, atropurpurei, intils pallidiores, pedunculati, undique 

 sparsi, valdfe approximate Raches cylindracese, subcarnosae, crassae, ad pedunculorum insertionem prominenter foveolatae, subangulatae, 

 fusco-pubescentes. Pedunculi carnosi, teretes, purpurascentes, apice infra calycem hracteoUs 2 oppositis, lanceolatis, minutis, lineas 2 

 longi. Calyx cyathiformis, amplus, pedunculo dupl5 longior, exths atropurpureus, laevis, nitidus, intus roseus, pilosulus ; faux obliquJ; 

 subtruncata, obsoletissim^ et obtus^ 4-dentata, deorsiim porrectior. Corolla calyce quadrupl6 major ; vexillum lato-ovatum, obtusum, 

 propter margines incurvos concaviusculum, unguiculare, adscendenti-recurvatum, disco macula oblongo-triangulari, e flavo viridescente ; 

 ungue brevi curvo ; akc cuneato-oblongae, obtusae, vexillo breviores, carinam aequantes illaeque parallelae et adpressae, basi hinc dente 

 curvo, illinc unguiculatae ; carina descendens, obtusa, basi bifida unguiculata, hincque bidentata. Stamina 10, laevia, camosa, carina 

 inclusa, diadelpha ; apicibus liberis, incurvis. Anthers ovatse. Ovarium pedicellatum, oblongum, adpressfe puberulum, 3 — 4-sporum, basi 

 circumdatum disco brevi, subcylindrico, carnoso, truncato, subtils fisso. Stylus brevissimus, subulatus, puberulus, adscendens. Stigma 

 acutum. Legumen magnum, 3 — 4-pollicare, laeve, fuscum, lucidum, ovato-lanceolatum, acutum, lateribus convexis, margine dorsal! 

 gibboso-convexo, lato, vix obsolete pedicellatum, pedicello calycem immutatum, persistentem baud superante. Semen solitarium, 

 magnum, ovatum, convexum, suturae superiori ope funiculi brevis insertum, brunneum, lucidum. 



This very stately tree constitutes a large portion of the dense forests on the shores of Martaban and Tenasserim. 

 I found it growing in great abundance at Amherst and Moalmyne, and on the sea-side, towards the river called 

 Chappedong. Nothing can be imagined more beautiful than the crown of the tree, when thickly covered with its 

 dense panicles of deep purple flowers. The wood is much esteemed by the Burmese and Taleyn people, who employ 

 it for beams and rafters in their houses. I was told that they cat the tender leaves. 



Plate LXXVIII. Fig. 1.2. Flowers. 3. The same dissected. 4. Calyx. 5. Pod opened. 



