Gnetacee.] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 347 
The Myricee are astringent and aromatic. J. cerifera yields wax, and M. sapida an 
agreeable flavoured fruit, though with too large a stone in proportion to the fleshy part ; 
but this might probably be increased by cultivation. This fruit-tree would probably 
repay the trouble of culture, as it appears, from the elevation at which it grows, to be 
suited to the climate of many parts of England. 
Putranjiva, referred by Dr. Roxburgh to Nageia, but formed into a new genus under 
its native name by Dr. Wallich, Tent. Fl. Nep. p. 61, and referred to this family, is found 
in the mountainous parts of the Coromandel coast, as well as near Patna and Monghir ; 
and from Silhet all along the foot of the Himalayas to the Kheree jungle. It has been so 
admirably described by Dr. Roxburgh, that it is necessary only to refer to his descrip- 
tion for an explanation of Tab. 100, where both the male and female flowers have been 
figured. The Sanscrit name, Dr. Roxburgh informs us, is compounded of Pootra, a son, 
and jeeva, life; the Hindoostanee name jeeapoota is similarly derived. ‘‘ The nuts are 
strung by parents round the necks of their children to keep them in health.” Roxb. 
Fl. Ind. 111. p. 766. 
Putranjiva Roaburghii. Wall. Tent. Fl. Nep. p. 61. Cat. N. 6814.—Nageia Putranjiva. Roxb. F'. 
Ind. 111. p. 766.—Tab. 83". or 100. 1. Male plant. (a) expanded flower with three filaments ; (b) half- 
expanded flower, with two filaments. 2. Female plant. (¢) female flower; (d) the same, with five sepals 
separated ; (e) vertical (f) transverse section of half ripe fruit ; (g) fruit; (Ah) transverse (7) vertical 
sections of the same; (&) seed, with and without the integuments on one side; (/) embryo. 
163. GNETACE. 
This is a small order, formed of Gnetum and Ephedra, constituting, with Cycadee* 
and Conifere, the natural class of plants called Gymnosperme, which agree in all 
respects 
* The Cycadacew forming an entirely tropical family, do not come within the limits of this work ; but it is 
interesting to notice, that though formerly thought to be allied both to Ferns and Palms, they have, by the 
more profound researches of Mr, Brown, been found to be most closely allied to Conifere in the structure 
of their flowers. Hence it is curious to find them so nearly associated together in some old geological 
formations, as the dirt-bed of the Isle of Wight. Zamia is found in Florida, the Bahamas, and in 
Caraccas} as well as at the Cape of Good Hope, with one species in New Holland. Cycas occurs in the last, 
as well as in Madagascar, in the Molucca Islands, Cochin-china, China, and in Japan.— Professor Don 
has favoured me with the following observations on this subject :-—“ The recent Cycadee amount to twenty- 
“seven species, distributed into three genera, namely, Cycas, Zamia, and Encephalartos, of which thirteen 
belong to the southern, and fourteen to the northern hemisphere ; of these, twelve are tropical, and the 
the southern hemisphere from the thirty-third to the thirty- 
hemisphere ; eleven belong to Africa ; three to 
wever, the species are entirely confined to the 
remaining fifteen extra-tropical ; eleven extend in 
firth degree of latitude, but only two as high in the northern 
Asia; three to New Holland and nine to America, where, ho | 
northern hemisphere. The fossil species amount to twenty-five, which have been distributed into four genera— 
Cycadites, Zamites, Nilsonia, and Pterophyllum; these two last, containing each but a single species. It is 
curious to observe the near coincidence in numbers between the recent and fossil species of this remarkable 
family. The fossil Cycadew were supposed to differ from the recent ones in the absence of the glandular dots 
from the vessels composing their fibrous tissue ; but Mr. Brown has, with his usual sagacity, discovered that 
the American portion of the family agree with the fossil ones in that respect.” Cycas circinalis, revoluta, and 
373 spherica, 
