12 THALAMIFLOR^. 



Anona Myristica, Gcert.de Fnict. IF. t. 125. f. 1. — Monodora 

 Myristica. Dunal, Monogr. Anon. 80. — De Cand. Syst. 2. 477. 

 — Spreng. Syst. Veget. II. 604. Hooker, Bot. Mag. 3059. 



HAB. Cultivated. 



FL. May. 



A tree about 15 feet in height, resembling the Anonas \\\ 

 habit. Leaves distichous, oblong, 4 — 5 inches long, and 1 — 2 

 broad, petioled. Peduncles opposite to a leaf, l-flow^ered, 

 4 — 7 inches long, pendulous. Bractea usually situated above 

 the middle of the peduncle, ovate, subcordate, sessile, green, 

 slightly variegated with orange or yellowish red, crispato- 

 undulated, reflexed when the flower is full blown. Flowers 

 large, showy, fragrant. Calycine sepals green, undulato-crisped, 

 unequal from that opposite to the bractea being smaller than 

 the other two. Outer petals oblongo-ovate, undulato-crisped, 

 of a yellow colour variegated with reddish brown spots or 

 stripes : inner petals shorter hut thicker than the outer, erecto- 

 connivent, cordate, convex, veined, ciliato-tomentose, externally 

 of a yellowish-white, internally shining and of a pale yellow 

 variegated with pale crimson spots. Anthers numerous, sessile 

 closely set on the receptacle. Ovary spherical, crowned with 

 a sessile flattened stigma. Berry (according to Gaertuer) sub- 

 globose, large, 1 -celled, glabrous, corticated. Seeds imbedded 

 in pulp, ovato-oblong, angled by mutual pressure, ferruginous 

 integument double : albumen fleshy, hard, sculptured with deep 

 nearly pai'allel lines, and a longitudinal furrow : cotyledons 

 foliaceous, cordato-lanceolate : radicle rounded, directed towards 

 the hilum. 



A very full and accurate description, and also a figure of this 

 plant, by Dr Bancroft, is to be met with in the fifth volume of 

 the New Series of the Botanical Magazine. This tree is said 

 to have been brought from the Continent of South America, 

 and to have been first planted at the Retreat estate, Clarendon. 

 Mr Robert Brown, however, considers it more probable, that 

 the seeds were introduced by the Negroes from some part of 

 the west coast of Africa. The only tree at present in the 

 Island is at Miss Green's garden in Liguanea, near Constant 

 Spring estate. It never, however, in that situation, perfects its 

 fruit. The seeds are described by Long, as impregnated with 

 an aromatic oil, resembling that of the East India nutmeg, so 

 as to admit of being employed for similar purposes in food or 

 medicine. The only perceptible difi^erence is that they are less 

 pungent. 



III. Xylopia. 



Calyx 3-5-lobed, with the divisions ovate, coriace- 

 ous, somewhat acute. Petals () ; the outer larger 



