230 Mr. Bentuam’s Observations on some Genera of Plants 
shining in S. adenophylla, Wall., large, oblong, and rough in &. cerasifolia, 
Wall., large, globular, and rough in &. mollis, Wall., which appears very near 
to S. ferruginea, Roxb. I have not seen the fruit of the other species, but I . 
have no doubt that, when better known, the carpological characters will afford 
good sectional distinctions. 
Of the remaining published species, the Symplocos nuda, Limoncillo, and 
mucronata, Humb. et Bonpl. Pl. ZEquin., and S. Schiedeana, Schlechtendal, 
(Linnea, viii. 527.) must remain doubtful, as their corolla has not been seen. 
S. pentagyna of Sprengel must be omitted altogether, having certainly no 
connexion with Symplocos. It would be impossible, indeed, without seeing his 
specimen, to say what it might be, but at a guess his character reads most 
like that of a Vismia. 
The above genera, with Styraz, Strigilia, and Halesia, form a small order, 
or perhaps a tribe of Ebenacec, established by Richard under the name of 
Styracee, and more or less adopted by most subsequent botanists, but with 
very different ideas as to its extent. D. Don, followed by some others, esta- 
blished three distinct orders, Symplocineæ, Styraceæ, and Halesiaceæ, the di- 
stinctions between which are thus stated by G. Don: Styracinee are “ very 
nearly allied to Halesiaceæ, but differ by the decidedly superior ovarium and 
the more deeply-cleft corolla, and from Symplocineæ in the superior ovarium 
and entire or slightly-lobed calyx, and in the stamens being fewer and mona- 
delphous." (Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. iv. p. 4.) Halesiaceæ come “ nearest 
to Symplocinee, from which they differ in the inferior ovarium, in the fruit 
being a hard dry winged nut, and in the corolla being more decidedly mono- 
petalous.” (Ibid. p. 6.) 
It is difficult, however, not to agree with Richard in neglecting in this in- 
stance, notwithstanding its great importance in other cases, the degree of 
adherence of the calyx to the fruit: for it will be found that at the time of 
flowering the calyx adheres to the ovary at its base even in Styrax, and is 
rarely completely adherent even in Halesia; whilst in the different species of 
Symplocos and Hopea almost every intermediate degree may be observed. 
The chief difference lies in this: that, as the fruit swells, it is the adherent 
part of the ovary that is developed in Symplocos, Hopea, and Halesia, and the 
free portion only in Styrax; and it is, I believe, generally recognized, that a 
