Coonoor, NeilgherrleSj in woods. At first I con- Indica. Of these, the first constitutes the original 



Hey 



(of which I have not an authentic specimen), but 

 closer comparison of the dried specimens with the 

 character of that species has given rise to doubts 

 as to their being really distinct. There are no doubt 

 differences, but in the absence of specimens to 

 compare, I do not feel certain that they are of spe- 

 cific value. In the growing state it is a striking 

 plant ; the very deep dark green of the exceedingly 

 rugous leaves (a feature not well preserved in the 

 drawing) contrast strongly with the numerous pale 

 rose-coloured capitate spikes, and deep blue of the 

 small flowers. It is said by the Natives to flower 

 only once in several years. 



1620. Lepidagathis nervosa (R.W.), herbaceous, 

 diffuse, glabrous: leaves ovato-oblong, attenuated 

 towards the apex, decurrent on the petiol, crenato- 

 serrated, unequal: spikes terminal, once or twice 

 trichotomous, contracted into a capitulum: bracts 

 and bracteoles scarious, glabrous; bracts elliptic, ob- 

 tuse, 5-nerved, the exterior pair of nerves marginal ; 

 bracteoles equal, as long as the bracts, 3-nerved : 

 posterior lobe of the calyx much larger than the 

 others, 3-nerved ; middle pair narrow, subulate, ante- 

 rior lanceolate : corolla (when dry) scarcely exceed- 

 ing the bracts. 



Ceylon. This species being fi:om Ceylon and, 

 I believe, among Col. Walker's plants, I at first sup- 

 posed it L. Wdkerianay but on comparing it with 

 Nees' character could not reconcile the two, espe- 

 cially in what regards the bracts and calyx: "brac- 

 teis herbaceo-chartaceis calyce duplo brevioribus ;" 

 neither does it quadrate with two other species from 

 the same country, though all seem nearly allied. 

 Viewing it therefore as a new species, I have named 

 it with reference to the nerved bracts and bracteoles. 



1621. Salvadora persica (Linn), leaves oblong, 

 narrow elliptico-lanceolate succulent, glabrous : pani- 

 cles terminal, compact: flowers sessile, bracteate : 

 bracts caducous : corolla persistent : fruit . 



Scinde, Stocks. Arabia, Persia, Egypt. 



Small trees with the stem slightly tumid at the 

 articulations. Leaves linear, opposite, leathery, en- 

 tire, very obscurely veined. Flowers sessile, minute, 

 in loose panicles. Calyx inferior, 4-leaved, minute. 

 Corolla membranous, monopetalous, 4-parted. Sta- 

 mens 4, connecting the petals into a monopetalous 

 corolla; anthers round, 2-celIed, bursting longitudi- 

 nally. Ovary superior, 1-celled, with a smgle sessile 

 ^stigma; ovule solitary, erect. Pericarp berried; 1- 

 celled, indehiscent Seed solitary, erect. Embryo 

 amygdaloid, without albumen; cotyledons fleshy, 

 plano-convex, fixed a little below their middle to a 

 Ions axis, the radicle of which is inclosed within 



their bases. 



There are, I believe, only 3 species of this genus ; 

 of these one is common in India the other two are 

 natives of the countries west of the Indus. In my 

 Illustrations of Indian Botany I have made some re- 

 marks on them, suggested by an examination of speci- 

 mens of all the three plants, which, for the sake of 

 those who may not have the means of consulting that 

 work, I republish here. Two of the three are repre- 

 sented in the accompanying plate, viz. the flowering 

 specimen, S. Persica, and the one in fruit, S. Stocksii. 



Remarks on Genera and Species. To this genus, 

 six species are assigned in botanical works ; S. Per- 

 sica, capitata, bijlora, Surinamensis , paniculata, and 



type of the genus, the second and third, so far as 

 I can make out from description, do not belong to it, 

 the fourth rests on the authority of Sprengel, and 

 has been referred, by Alph. D.C., to Weigeltia^ a 

 genus of Myrsineace(B ; and lastly the 5th and 6th 

 seem to be the same or very nearly allied species. 

 The first and last have long been confounded. The 

 first notice to that effect, I find in Racmer and 

 Schultes in these words, "Planta Roxburghi alia 



videtur quam ilia Forskali ex descriptions" Royle 

 afterwards took the same view and called the one 

 5". Persica, the other S. Indica, but without giving 

 distinctive characters. He, however, as I understand 

 him, calls, perhaps by mistake, the Indian plant 

 figured by Roxburgh, S, Persica, and the Forskalian 

 one, S. Indica. As I happen, through the kindness 

 of Mr. Stocks (who sent me specimens of the Western 

 plant from Scinde), to have both species before me, 

 I am enabled to clear up the doubts and uncer- 

 tainties which have so long hung over them. The 

 typical forms of the two plants may be distinguished 

 at a glance, the Western or Persian one having long 

 narrow elliptico-lanceolate leaves, and compact spi- 

 cato-panicled inflorescence, or, in other words, a 

 sessile-flowered panicle ; while the Eastern or Indian 

 one, has broad ovato-oval obtuse leaves, and large 

 diffuse racemoso-panicled inflorescence, that is, pedi- 

 celled flowers on the floriferous ramuli. The berries, 

 moreover, of the Persian plant, are described as 

 yellow or black, those of the Indian one are red. 

 I now have specimens of the Indian form, from both 

 Cambay and the Circars, and thence extending 

 south to within a few miles of Cape Comorin (how 

 far north it goes I am unable to say), and every 

 where corresponding with Roxburgh's figure and 

 description. To this species, therefore, I restrict the 

 specific name Indica, to the other, or long narrow 

 leaved and sessile flowered form, I assign the speci- 

 fic name of Persica. 



But 1 have a third nearly intermediate form, also 

 from Scinde, which, being only in fruit, I am as yet 

 uncertain how to dispose of. It has the broad short 

 blunt leaves of the Indian plant, but the panicles 

 are much more compact, and the pedicels scarcely 

 half the length. It seems a distinct species. The 

 above species may be thus defined: — 



Salvadora Persica (Linn. Cissus arhorea, Forsk.), 

 leaves oblong, narrow elliptico-lanceolate, succu- 

 lent, glabrous: panicles terminal, compact: flowers 

 sessile, bracteate: bracts caducous: corolla persis- 

 tent: firuit . Scinde, Arabia, Persia, Egypt. 



Salvadora Indica (Royle ? R. W. &Uvctdora 

 Persica, Roxb.), arboreous, leaves broad ovate-oval, 

 obtuse, glabrous : panicles terminal and axillary, 

 diffuse ; flowers longish pedicelled : bracts sub-per- 

 sistent: berry about twice the length of the calyx, 

 red, embraced by the marcessant corolla. 



India, everywhere in low lying damp ground, 

 usually near cultivation. 



Salvadora Stocksii (R. W.), leaves ovato-oval, 

 mucronate : panicles compact, terminal : flowers 

 short pedicelled: corolla deciduous: fruit three or 

 four times the length of the persistent calyx. 



Scinde, Stocks. I consider this a perfectly dis- 

 tinct species, as shown by the deciduous corolla, 

 large size of the fruit, and compact form of the 

 panicles. In these definitions I have limited myself 

 to the characters simply required to distinguish one 

 species from the other. Of the two last I shall give 

 figures in the Icones. 



( i« ) 



