long, with a lengthened acumen, base acute, the upper 

 surface pubescent, the under one with numerous opposite, 

 oblique, parallel nerves, which, together with the strong 

 rib and reticulate veins, are villous. Petioles very short. 

 Stipules broad and short, adpressed, soon withering, ending 

 in a subulate acumen, at the base of which there are on 

 each side one or two crenatures. Inflorescence most ample, 

 densely villous, especially the corols, which are of a de- 

 lightful sky-blue colour. Ovarium somewhat 5-cornered. 

 In every other respect the two plants agree. How far 

 mine should be considered as a variety only, or a distinct 

 species (which I would propose calling S. azureimi), I must 

 leave undecided, until the young plants, which were brought 

 down with me, shall come to a proper age. It is worth 

 observing, that all its tender parts and the flowers, on being 

 bruised, as also in decaying, emit a peculiarly fetid smell, 

 precisely as is the case with similar parts of Serissa and 

 FcEderia fcetida, and some others. When out of flower 

 the shrub looks for some time peculiarly withered and poor, 

 •in consequence of the unusual time during which the dried 

 brown panicles remain on the branches." 



Such is the account given of this in the second volume of 

 the Flora Indica, published in 1824. Upon what ground 

 Mr. Don altered Dr. Wallich"s name azureum to that of 

 scahrum, we do not understand ; nor why he altogether 

 omitted the Flora Indica synonym of «Sp. azureum. With 

 regard to the name Hamiltonia, applied to this genus by 

 Dr. Roxburgh, we are clearly of opinion that Spermadictyon 

 is preferable ; not that we admit any right on the part of 

 Willdenow to change Michaux's name of Pyrularia for that 

 of Hamiltonia, but that it is now too late to remedy the 

 act ; Hamiltonia is at this day universally applied to the 

 American genus, and cannot without inconvenience be 

 removed : besides, we think that some attention is due to 

 the opinion of Mr. Brown, with whom the name of Sperma- 

 dictyon, which, by the way, is unexceptionable, originated. 



There can be little doubt that Dr. Wallich's Lepto- 

 dermis, combined by Mr. Don with this genus, is distinct : 

 the curious manner in which its bractese are formed, and 

 the whole habit of the plant, forbid such a combination. 



Our drawing was made in January last, in the Garden 

 of the Horticultural Society, from a plant presented by the 

 Honourable Court of Directors of the East India Company. 



J. L. 



