about as long as the petioles, but appearing aggregated 
from the circumstance of their arising from the axils of the — 
crowded leaves at the extremity of the branches. Pedun- 
cles curved, swollen upwards. Calyx of six ovate leaves 
arranged in two series, slightly downy, spreading. Corolla 
monopetalous, of eighteen segments arranged in a double 
series, the outer of twelve linear-acuminate lacinie, the 
inner of six somewhat narrower ones, opposite the fertile 
stamens. Stamens, six fertile and six alternating barren, 
squamiform, denticulated ones. Filaments of the perfect 
stamens subulate: Anthers oblongo-acuminate, reversed. 
ae Germen small, conical, tapering into a slender, 
liform style. Stigma obtuse. Fruit, a large oval, or 
nearly obovate, one-seeded (by abortion), at first green, at 
pat brownish-purple Berry, with the traces of five other 
cells, and tipped with the persistent style. Seed somewhat 
triangular, compressed, with a narrow, linear scar or hilum. 
_ Although cultivated under the name of Acuras dissecta of ForsTER 
in the island of St. Vincent, whence drawings and specimens have been 
og on gaeene by the Rey. L. Guiip1ne, I am by no means certain 
that this is the plant of that author: for its most important distinguishing 
character, the pale and almost silvery hue of the underside, is not men- 
tioned by Forster. It would, perhaps, have been more correct, to 
have ypted the Specific Name of Auvsixt; for he has most accurately 
described the foliage ; and it is more than probable, that it was intro- 
duced, as many other plants were known to be, to St. Vincent from 
ba Auster speaks of it as brought from the Isle of France, where 
it is called Bois de Nattes, But this is a vague term, and in Mauritius, 
according to my friend Professor Bosgr, is applied to three different 
lants : = Bois de Nattes a petites feuilles, (Mimusops retusa) ; Bois de 
ates a grandes feuilles (M. Natta); and Bois de Nattes 4 pomme de 
Singe.” J] have no reason to think it is any of these: and if it be really 
the Acuras dissecta, it is a native of ihe Philippine and Friendly 
Islands. The figures both of RuzEpE and Rumpurus above quoted, 
to be sufficiently characteristic of our plant, and the MimusorPs 
ecandra of Roxs. Corom. which Mr. Brown notices, as scarcely to 
distinguished from the Acuras dissecta of Forster, seems to differ 
only in the broader segments of the corolla, and the different colour 
the underside of the leaves. Lastly, Mr. Brown’s M, Kauki appeals to 
differ in nothing but the greater length of the petioles. 
Mase fruit of our plant is esculent, and Mr. Guitp1ne remarks, that 
poeeaion of it is too much neglected in our colonies. 
ait te BS AcHRas dissecta an unctuous fluid is said to exude. The 
1S of an agreeable acid, and on account of it, the plant is extensively 
cultivated in China, Manilla, and Malabar. The leaves pounded and 
mixed with th é . : 
plasms for Sais gy of Curcuma and with Ginger are used as cast 
es f 
Fig. Extremity A 
ee of a Flowering Branch, from which many of the Leaves — 
ith Fruit: nat. size, 3. Corolla laid open. 4. Stamen. 5 
nat, size. 
