It OH. AVALMfH 



constituted species ; but in tliat case 1 should very strongly 

 suspect, tliat all three formed in reality only one truly natural 

 species. Indeed, the appearance of such a mule-like plant would 

 argue to me, that there was lurking a false species somewhere or 

 other in the genus. I crave forgiveness for this little digression; 

 it is made with hearty and profound deference to those names, 

 whicli support a contrary opinion on the subject. 



If I have failed in my endeavours to clear the way for future 

 inquirers, it has certainly not been for want of opportunities while 

 I was in India, or of means of verifving species during the latter 

 five or six weeks — such as are not often enjoyed, and for which I 

 feel deeply grateful. I have been permitted to borrow, first, the 

 whole series of specimens in the East India Company's and Sir 

 J. E. Smith's herbarium in the possession of the Linnean Society; 

 secondly, the entire series in the matchless herbarium of Sir W. 

 Hooker ; tliirdly, the noble collection both in extent and pre- 

 servation (many specimens nearly as beautiful as in their fresh 

 state ! ) formed by Dr. Hooker in Sikkim, and conjointly by him 

 and Dr. Thomas Thomson on the Kasia liills, accompanied by all 

 the drawings of the genus made by the former in both countries ; 

 fourthly, a number of beautiful sketches made for the late Mr. 

 J. F. Cathcart, during his visit to Sikkim, by Luchmum Sing, 

 an exceedingly clever Hindu painter formerly attached to the 

 Calcutta Botanic Garden ; fifthly, Dr. Thomson's small collection 

 of species found in the north-west mountains of Hindustan ; 

 sixthly, all the specimens in Dr. Lindley's herbarium ; and 

 seventhly, two-and-twenty drawings belonging to the IMuseum of 

 the Hon. East India Company (three presented by Dr. Hamilton, 

 one by Dr. Wight, and eighteen by myself). I have further had 

 the freest possible access to the specimens in the Banksian 

 Herbarium (salve magnum nomen !) and those in Dr. Horsfield's 

 collection, likewise preserved at the British Museum ; and lastly, 

 my friend and successor Di*. Falconer has, with the utmost 

 readiness, furnished me with a copy of my entry of the genus in 

 the manuscript Catalogue of the Calcutta Garden. 



I have considered it my duty to refer to and quote, though not 

 according to strict priority, all the authorities to which I had 

 access, not wittingly omitting any, though some might perhaps 

 have been dispensed with, as affording only repetitions of specific 

 characters ; and in regard to such, I have not troubled myself or 

 others with the mention of excludenda synonyma. My reason for 

 citing the numbers in the Catalogue of the Indian Herbarium, 



