Dr. Walker-Arnott on Samara laeta, Linn. 361 



as the typical representation of the Linnean genus, even although the stamens, 

 after Burmann, are exhibited alternate with the petals, not opposite to them 

 as in the description (i. p. 303). In the ' Prodromus Florae Peninsulse Indise 

 Orientalis,' i. p. 319, Dr. Wight and I, in 1834, referred Burmann's plant to 

 M. ramrflorum, Lam., or M. umbellatum, Gsertn., without any hesitation, and 

 stated that " Burmann in his figures of this and of M. capitellatum has only 

 noticed four stamens, thereby leading Linnseus and others to refer tab. 31 to 

 the very different Samara Iceta," Burmann's equally faulty figure and descrip- 

 tion of M. capitellatum having been overlooked, while it was made of im- 

 portance in M.ramijiorum. At that time I had not analysed the true S. Iceta, 

 and therefore was obliged to leave it in uncertainty, although from a pen-and- 

 ink sketch, traced for me by Dr. Wight from the Linnean specimen, I had 

 little doubt in my own mind that it would prove a Myrsineous plant, and 

 closely allied to Choripetalum, if not of the same genus. Dr. Lindley in his 

 second edition of the ' Introduction to the Natural System,' p. 225, refers it to 

 Myrsinece, and almost next to Choripetalum : but I do not now remember if, 

 amongst a few memoranda I sent him for that edition, I gave him my views 

 of the position of the genus, and induced him to place it in an order from 

 which he has since removed it. Meisner in his ' Plantarum Vasculosarum 

 Genera,' ii. p. 51, adopts Dr. Wight's and my conclusions as to Burmann's 

 plant, but refers " Samara, Linn, (non Sw.)" to Rhamnece, " Genus non satis 

 notum, sed verosimiliter Rhamnaceum genuinum." Endlicher in his ' Genera 

 Plantarum/ p. 1104, places Samara of Linnaeus among the "Genera Rham- 

 neis affinia" and excludes the synonym of Burmann ; but whilst he does so, 

 he most unaccountably adds, " arbuscula Zeylanica," which applies solely to 

 Burmann's plant, Linnaeus nowhere saying that his was obtained from Ceylon. 

 Lastly, following these, Dr. Lindley in his 'Vegetable Kingdom' refers the 

 Linnean plant also to Rhamnece, but with a mark of doubt. 



Whilst making some observations on the Corollijlorce in the 'Annales du 

 Museum,' xv. pp. 351 and 353, Jussieu states that he had previously referred 

 Samara to the Rhamnece " a cause de sa corolle indiquee comme polypetale ;" 

 and he now compares it with Myrsine. He supposes however Myrsine to 

 have a 5-celled and 5-ovuled ovary, while the Ardisiacece, its allies, had an 

 unilocular ovary : on which account he proposes to place Myrsine either at 



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