FLORA VITIENSIS. 207 
bellati, circiter 10 in singula umbella, breviter pedunculati. Pedunculi terminales v. raro axillares e 
supremis axillis oppositis v. 3 lineares, villosi. Pedicelli subequales, breves, raro semiunciales et unciales. 
Calyx 0. Corolla infundibuliformis, subuncialis, flava. Religua omnino ut in Daphne capitata [ Wik- 
stremia fotida, A. Gray], cui valde similis, sed differt habitu, ramis strictis erectis, foliis crassioribus 
angustioribus, pedicellis longioribus, floribus majoribus altiusque coloratis. Obs.— Corolla et in hac et in 
Daphnide capitata, Sol., sub florescentia, subcoriacea, pilosiuscula, tandem membranacea, marcescens fun- 
dumque tubi sub fructu relinquens. Folia ramulique et hujus et Daphnidis capitate contusa et cum 
nucleo Butonice splendide, Sol. [Barringtonie speciose, Forst.) raspulis mixta, aquisque injecta, pisces 
inebriant ut aquis supernatent manuque capi possint." Sol. mss. Whilst the flowers of W. fietida are 
terminal and greenish-white, and the drupes ovoid, with a sharp point and red, the flowers of W. coriacea 
are axillary, yellow, and also larger than those of W. fwtida, and the drupe ovate, obtuse, and in colour 
like the * berries" of the Yew. 
1. W. foetida, A. Gray in Seem. Journ. of Bot. 1865, p. 302; foliis herbaceis ovato-oblongis 
oblongisve sepius acutis glabris, venis primariis patentibus reti venularum copioso tenui vix validi- 
oribus; fasciculis capitulisve subsessilibus v. brevipedunculatis; rachi glabrata brevi; alabastris 
ramulisque novellis sericeo-puberulis; calycis (flavo-viridis) lobis ovatis oblongisve obtusis; drupa 
ovoidea (rubra).—W. Indica, C. A. Meyer in Bull. Act. St. Petersb. vol. iv. n. 4. Meisn. in DC. 
l.c. p. 543. W. Forsteri, Dene. in Jacquem. Voy. Bot. p. 146. Daphne Indica, Linn. Spec. vol. i. 
p.511. Hook. et Arn. Bot. Beech. t. 15. D. fetida, Linn. fil. Suppl. p. 223. Forst. Prodr. n. 168, 
et Icon. (ined.) t. 119.  Capura purpurata, Linn. Mant. p. 225. ; 
Widely diffused in tropieal Polynesia, New Holland, China, and the Indian Archipelago. There are, 
according to A. Gray, four varieties in Polynesia, viz. a. Tahitensis, (Daphne capitata, Sol. Prim. Fl. Ins. 
Pacif. p. 251, et in Parkins. Drawing of Tahit. Plants (ined.), t. 44, Forst. Icon. (ined.) t. 119,) from the 
Society Islands (Forster! Banks and Solander! Nelson! Barclay !), where it is named “ Aowhao,” “ Avau- 
o-aa,” or “ Ooao;” B. Samoensis, A. Gray, from the Navigator Islands (U. S. Expl. Exped.); y. Oahuensis, 
A. Gray, from the Hawaiian group (Menzies! Macrae! Barclay!) ; and— 
Var. Vitiensis, A. Gray in Seem. Journ. 1. c.; foliis membranaceis nunc firmioribus ovalibus 
utrinque obtusis v. obtusissimis ; floribus paucis glabellis.—Nomen vernac. Vitiense, *Sinu ma- 
tiavi."— Common on the sea-beach of Viti Levu and other islands (Seemann ! n. 384). Also found 
in New Caledonia (W. Anderson !). à 
The bark of this seaside shrub, which is from 4—5 feet high, contains a readily available fibre which, 
like that of many other Thymeleacee, is used in Viti for cordage, fishing-nets, ete. ; the same is done, accord- 
ing to Mr. W. T. Pritchard, in the Samoan Islands, where the plant is termed “ Mati.” The Vitian 
name is “Sinu matiavi;" “Sinu” being a generic name applied to other Thymelea, and also to Excecaria 
Agallocha, Linn., whilst *matiavi" probably signifies “litoral” or “tidal” (* mati" being “ tide "), given 
in allusion to the habitat of the plant. The Vitian native physicians apply the root bark externally to 
sores, and give the leaves and bark of the stem and branches for eoughs. According to Solander, the 
branches and leaves of the Tahitian variety of W. fætida, bruised and mixed with the rasped seeds of 
Barringtonia speciosa, are used in the Society Islands to stupefy fish for the purpose of catching them when 
they come to the surface of the water. But I have not seen the plant used in Viti in that way. 
II. Drymispermum, Reinw. Sylloge Nov. Plant. Ratisb. 1828, p. 15. t. 2. Calyx coloratus, 
hypocraterimorphus v. infundibuliformis, limbo 4—5-fido. Squame faucis 5, lobis alternæ v. saepius 
obsolete v. 0. Stamina 8-10, summo tubo inserta; filamentis tubo adnatis exsertis v. inclusis; an- 
theris ovalibus dorso connectivo crassiusculo adnatis. Ovarium sessile, basi disco cupuliformi cinc- 
tum, 2-loculare. Stylus terminalis, filiformis v. clavatus, stigmate capitato papilloso. Drupa 
ovoidea, nuda, 2-sperma. Semina exalbuminosa, testa crustacea. Cotyledones crassee.—Arbuscule 
v. frutices ; foliis oppositis v. subsparsis coriaceis; pedunculis axillaribus terminalibusque solitariis ; 
floribus capitatis v. umbellatis albis odoratis involucro communi 2-<o-phyllo cinctis, genitalibus 
exsertis v. inclusis; drupis seepe coccineis.— PAaleria, Jack, Malay. Misc. ex Hook. Comp. Bot. Mag. 
vol. i. p. 156. Leucosmia, Benth. in Hook. Lond. Journ. vol. ii. p. 231; Bot. Sulph. p. 179. t. 57. 
Dais sp. auct. 
2x2 
