66 Dr Wallich's Account of the new genus M elanorrhcea 



slopes more vertically ; by its more uniform and deeper red 

 colour, with the most beautiful iridescent reflections ; and from 

 its being destitute of the yellow stripes. The under part of 

 the body is silvery, and the fins yellow. It is found in the 

 Mediterranean on all its shores, but principally where there 

 is a muddy bottom, and abounds on' the coasts of Pro- 

 vence. Several varieties of this fish, as well as the surmullet, 

 have been mentioned by authors ; but whether these are to be 

 considered as different species, or as varieties in appearance pro- 

 duced by age, sex, or season, is not yet ascertained. 



Aet. VIII. Account of the new genus Melanorrhoea^ or the Bur- 

 mese Va7'nish Tree, with remarks on each of the Genera to 

 which it approaches *. By N. Wallich, M. D., F. R. S. 

 Ed. F. L. S. &c. Superintendant of the Botanic Garden 

 Calcutta. Communicated by the Author. 



MELANORRHCEA. 



Sepale 5 in calycem calyptraceum, 5-nervium, caducum, val- 

 vatim cohaerentia. Petala 5, raro 6, asstivationeimbricantia, 

 persistentia, infra fructum aucta. Stamina plura, distincta, 

 toro convexo inserta. Pistillum 1. Ovarium oblique len- 

 ticulare, stipitatum, 1-loculare, 1-sporum : ovulo suspenso 

 corda funiculari libera, e fundo loculi adscendente. Stylus 

 lateralis verticis ovarii. Stigma parvum, convexum. Fjiuc- 

 Tus indehiscens, coriaceus, depresso-reniformis, obliquus, pedi- 

 cellatus, involucro corollino stellatim patente, maximo sufFultus. 

 Semen exalbuminosum, decumbens. Cotyledones carnosae, 

 crassae. Radicula lateralis, adscendens et in commissuram 

 cotyledoneam replicata. 



Classis Linnseana, Polyandria Monogynia, 



Ordo naturalis, Terebinthacearum tribus Anacardece, Brown. 



Habitus : Arbores magna? facie Semecarpi, omnibus partibus 

 scatentes succo viscldo, ferrugineo, a contactu atmospha^rico 

 cit6 in atrum converso ; coma late protensa ; folia ampla, cori- 

 acea, simplicia, integerrima, decidua, penninervia. Paniculae 



• The Editor has heen indebted for this interesting article to Dr Wal- 

 lich, to whom the Science of Botany is under such deep obligationi. It 

 forms part of his splendid work on the rare plants of India. 



