Mr. Lindley on a New Genus of Plants. 109 



An Account of a new Genus of Plants called Reevesia. By 

 John Lindley, Esq., F.L.S., &c. &c. 



In a collection of dried specimens of plants sent to the Hor- 

 ticultural Society from China, by Mr. Reeves, are a few 

 branches, with flowers, of a remarkable genus which is at pre- 

 sent undescribed, but which is of so curious a nature, and of 

 such importance with reference to the determination of some 

 natural affinities, that I have thought it deserving immediate 

 record ; especially as drawings of the fruit, which have been 

 subsequently obtained from the same indefatigable correspon- 

 dent of the Society, render its history tolerably complete. 



The branches appear to be fragments of an evergreen tree ; 

 they are slender, rounded, and smooth. The nascent gemmce 

 are covered with a dense rufous pubescence. The leaves are 

 alternate, becoming, towards the extremities of the branches, 

 opposite by approximation ; their form is ovate-lanceolate 

 acuminate, and in size they vary from three inches to nearly six 

 in length ; the surface, even of the youngest, is perfectly smooth 

 on each side ; their veins are inconspicuous, the lowest pair of 

 vena primarise being divergent at an angle of about 40'', while 

 the others spread outwards at an angle of 55° or 60° ; the venae 

 arcuatae and externse are obscurely seen, but form together a 

 number of rhomboidal spaces, equal in diameter to nearly one 

 third of each side of the leaf; the proportion borne by the pe- 

 tiole to the lamina is variable, sometimes equalling one-fourth 

 of the length of the latter, and not un frequently being less than 

 one-sixth of its lengtli : this proportion not depending upon the 

 station of the leaves ; the petiole is smooth, half-round, and 

 thickened at the extremity, where it unites with the lamina. 

 StipulcB are none. The flowers are greenish-white, in terminal 

 thyrsoid compound racemes ; the upper part of the rachisy and 

 of its branches, is slightly protected by stellate pubescence ; 

 the pedicles are closely covered with pubescence of the same 

 nature, and have one subulate downy deciduous bracteola at the 

 base, and another towards the apex. The calyx is inferior, 

 campanulate, tapering a little towards the base, densely clothed 

 with stellate pubescence, bursting irregularly at the apex into 



