840 Rev. J. S. Henslow on the Native Plants 



tified it, by comparison with Forstcr's original specimens in 

 the British Museum. As much uncertainty prevails respect- 

 ing the number of species in the genus, I shall add a detailed 

 description of the present specimens. Messrs. Wight and 

 Arnott have observed, at page 74 of their Prod. Florae Indiae : 

 " In this genus it may be right to caution the student to place 

 no reliance on the shape of the leaves or their pubescence, or 

 suppression of the parts of the flower." To this we would 

 add further, that neither can much reliance be placed upon 

 the character of the inflorescence, since the differences be- 

 tween the peduncles being axillary or opposite, seem chiefly 

 to depend upon different degrees of luxuriance. 



Speciminum Keelingensium caules ramosi, ramis tomentosis, pubescentia 

 stellata. Folia longe petiolata, subrotunda vel late-ovata, cordata, in- 

 divisa vel trilobata, insequaliter serrato-crenata : supra, nudiuscula, 

 subtus petiolisque incano-tomentosa, marginibus nudis subglandulosis. 

 Stipulse lanceolatce. Pedunculi inferiores axillares, sub-abortivi ; su- 

 periors oppositifolii, foliorumque superiorum abortione sub-corymbosi, 

 horumque stipulis bracteas emulantibus ; pedicellis 3 — 5 sub-umbella- 

 tim dispositis. Calyx, sepalis 5 linearibus, sub apice acuminatis, extus 

 pubescentibus, sestivatione valvatis. Corolla, petalis 5, sepalis parum 

 minoribus, obovatis, unguibus basi villosis. Stamina 25, petalorum lon- 

 gitudine. Pistillum ovario ovali, hispido ; stylo lineari, hirto, tricuspi- 

 dato. Capsula junior globosa uncinato-hispida. 



3. Pemphis acidula. — The capsules burst by an irregular 

 transverse fissure about the middle, with the lower portion 

 more membranous than the upper. Forster describes them 

 as having six valves, and Lamarck as opening transversely at 

 the base. 



" No sooner has a new reef become sufficiently elevated by 

 the accumulation of sand upon its surface, but this plant is 

 sure to be the first which takes possession of the soil." — 

 C Darwin, 



4. Portulaca oleracea. — The specimen is in seed, tolerably 

 luxuriant, and seems unquestionably to belong to this species ; 

 but there are some minute hairs in the axils, which is not ge- 

 nerally the case, and not characteristic of the section to which 

 it belongs. 



5. Guilandina Bonduc. — The specimen is only in bud. 

 " Grows only on one islet." — C. Darwin. 



