60 MR. J. MIERS ON THE BARRINGTONIACEJE. 
1. AGASTA SPLENDIDA, nob.: Butonica splendida, Soland. Prim. (ined. 1769), p. 282!; in 
Obs. MSS. Soland. (ined.), p. 382 (excl. synon.); Parkinson, Icon. ined. vol. ii. 
tab. 68 et 69: Butonica speciosa, Dryand. in Aiton, Hort. Kew. 15% edit. (1789), 
vol. ii. 439 (excl. syn.): arbor elegantissima, ramis late expansis: foliis maximis, 
sparsis, patentibus, latissime obovatis, supra medium hemisphericis, basin versus 
cuneatis, in margine cartilagineo integerrimis, subcoriaceis, planis, in junioribus 
ovalioribus obtusis et sspe emarginatis, supra nitidis, intense viridibus, siccis 
pallidioribus, nervis paucis valde remotis prominentibus, subtus pallidioribus, nervis 
venisque retieulatis paullo prominentibus, costa imo incrassata, rubicunda; petiolo 
vix ullo, eum glandula supraaxillari longe supra folii insertionem in ramo distincta : 
racemo in ramulis novellis terminali ; rachi valida, haud longa, compresse angulata; 
floribus maximis, speciosissimis, sparsis; pedicellis 1-floris, teretibus, crassis, longius- 
culis, imo foliolis seu bracteis majusculis 2 v. 3 obtuse ovatis concavis æqualibus 
patentibus persistentibus munitis; limbo calycino in alabastro maximo, ovato, 
integre clauso, demum in lobos 2 сопсауов parallele nervosos rupto; petalis 4, 
magnis, albis, 3plo longioribus, ovato-oblongis, subacutis, expansis: staminibus 
numerosissimis, pluriseriatis, imo breviter monadelphis, expansis, infra niveis, apice 
saturate rubris ; disco styloque ut in char. gen., intus breviter elevato: ovario infero, 
turbinato, vix angulato, 4-loculari, vertice intra discum concavo ; ovulis plurimis in 
quoque loculo suspensis: drupa magna, obpyriformi, vix 4-gona, apice sensim 
constricta et calyce coronata; pericarpio crasso, nitido, viridi-brunnescente ; meso- 
carpio spongiose carnoso; endocarpio coriaceo, fibris lignosis tecto, abortu uni- 
loculari et monospermo, dissepimentis hine in chordam crassam contractis et ad 
parietem adpressis ; semine magno, oblongo, obtuse 4-gono ; testa tenuiter coriacea, 
molliuseula, albo-incarnata; nucleo albo, sapore astringente, structura forsan 
aliorum. Іп insul. Otaheite : v. pl. s. in hb. Mus. Brit. Tahiti (Solander); fruct. 
non vidi. 
This species (here shown in Plate XL, taken from Parkinson's drawing) was col- 
lected by Solander during his three months’ residence in Otaheite, when he accom- 
panied Capt. Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific in 1769, to observe the transit 
of Venus; he found it also in the adjacent islands of Huabeine, Ulaietea, and Otaha. 
He describes it as a magnificent tree, 50 feet high, with a broad expanded head; its 
copious very large shining leaves, its splendid flowers, measuring 8 in. in diameter, 
interspersed with large bright pendent fruits, altogether form objects unsurpassed in 
beauty, and superb ornaments to the forests in the interior of the islands. Ву the 
natives it is called Аиа (Æhutu). Dryander, from Solander’s manuscript, regarded 
it as belonging to the Butonica of Rumph; but subsequently (in * Hort. Kew.’) he 
considered it identical with the Barringtonia speciosa of Forster, collected in Capt. 
Cook's second voyage, a plant evidently only known to him from Forster’s drawings 
Solander’s plant, though offering a general similarity to the latter, differs from it in its | 
* Primitie Flore insularum Oceani Pacifici, sive Cat. plant. in Otaheite, Eimeo, Otaha, Huaheine et Ulaietea, | 
1769, diebus 13 Apr. ай 9 Aug. collectarum ; Solandri manuscript in Libr. Banks. Musso Britannico,—a work of | 
great value, never published, and but little known. — Parkinson's coloured drawings of the same plants, also unpub- 
lished, were made to illustrate that work. 
