370 Dr Balfour's Description of Bare Plants. 



reddish midrib, with the primary veins ending in curved veins 

 within the margin. The separation between the winged petiole 

 and blade is indicated first by a tendency to contraction; the lamina 

 being about 6| inches long, and the petiole 3^ inches. There 

 is at length a complete separation, and a swelling of a reddish 

 colour formed, and from this, one or two lateral leaflets proceed. 

 Another swelling of a similar nature occurs ultimately about 1 inch 

 nearer the apex of the leaf, and there also one or two leaflets are 

 developed. What was the lamina in the simple leaf, may be said 

 to be the odd leaflet in the pinnate leaves, which is now much 

 smaller than it was in its simple state. 

 Both simple and compound leaves are alternate, smooth, shining, and 

 are attached to the stem by a large reddish swelling (pulvinus). 

 The petiole in the complete leaf consists of three winged pieces, 

 with distinct contractions, the wings becoming broader upwards, 

 and attaining the breadth of ^ an inch. The flowers (10 or 12 

 in number), are produced in terminal bracteated racemes, and are 

 of a scarlet colour. In our plant, unfortunately, they have all fallen 

 off in the state of bud, without becoming expanded. Calyx short, 

 with 5 divisions of a reddish-brown colour. Petals 5, ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, of a fine red colour, much larger than the calyx ; contorto- 

 imbricate in aestivation. Stamens enclosed within the petals in 

 the state of bud. It is hoped that, ere long, the plant may produce 

 perfect flowers, so as to give an opportunity of making the de- 

 scription complete. 



Dr Christison, in a letter to me, has sent the foUowini^ 

 statement as to the source whence the specimen in the 

 Botanic Garden was derived : — 



" We are indebted for your Quassia plants to Dr Hartle of Trinidad. 

 In 1844 he sent me, in a small box, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit, and one 

 or two sections of branches of Quassia amara from his garden, that I 

 might compare the plant with its descriptions. The specimens having 

 been shut up in the fresh state, and long detained in the custom-house at 

 Greenock, the branches, leaves, and flowers, were all rotted before reach- 

 ing me ; and under favour of this process, the seeds were germinating. 

 One of them had a shoot above an inch in length. 



" I immediately divided these seeds between Dr Graham, and Profes- 

 sor Syme ; and both Mr Macnab, and Mr Reid, gardener to Mr Syme, 

 succeeded in raising several of them. Your specimen, which has made 

 an eflbrt to flower this season, is one of those raised by Mr Reid. It 

 grew very slowly during the first and second summers, and shewed 

 only simple leaves destitute of any tendency to pinnation, or winged 

 petioles. But as I had no doubt whatever of the seed, I felt assured that 

 in time the true pinnated and winged leaves would make their appear- 

 ance. This accordingly took place in the third year, when the plant 



