150 NEW PLANTS, ETC., 



Azaleas ; for instead of the pale-green colour and abundant hairs 

 which characterize them all, tliis has perfectly hairless leaves, un- 

 less in tlie seedling state, and tliey are of a very dark green. Their 

 form, too, is quite distinct ; for instead of tapering gradually to 

 the stalli they are abruptly ovate, or even in some cases almost 

 heart-shaped. 



The plant has been too recently acquired for any knowledge of 

 its true habits to have been gained : but seedlings in the open 

 air have borne the frost of last autumn, and it was considerable 

 on two occasions, without having suffered in the least ; and if, as 

 seems probable, the plant should not be inclined to push early, it 

 will not only be a hardy evergreen, but one of the finest in the 

 country. T^^j. 28. 1844. 



25. FoRTUNiEA CHINENSIS.* 



From the hills of Chusan and Ningpo ; Mr. Fortune. " The 

 Chinese use the fruit of this to dye the black colour of 

 their clotlies." 



An empty cone of this singular plant was received some years 

 ago from Dr. Cantor, by favour of Lord Auckland, then Gover- 

 nor-General of India ; and it was at that time supposed to belong 

 to some unknown Conifer. Mr. Fortune rediscovered it, and 

 sent home good seeds and dried specimens, and it now proves to 

 be a plant like a Rhus in aspect, but in reality a most curious 

 genus of the natural order of Juglands. 



If, indeed, we could suppose a walnut to be pressed flat, re- 

 duced to the size and texture of a seed of the Alder tree, and 

 then many such to be collected into a small cone, composed of 

 hard, brittle, sharp-pointed scales, we should form artificially 

 what nature has produced in this plant. The annexed figure 

 will explain more particularly these facts, if it is borne in mind 

 that Fig. 1 is a cone ; 2, one of the ripe nuts taken out and 

 nmch magnified ; and 3, an inside view of the same ; for it will 



* FoRTUN^A. Gen. nov. (Nat. ord. Juglandaceae.) Flores amentacei 

 monoici ; Amenta mascula lateralia, caudiformia, erecta, achlamydea, squamis 

 foliaceis intus hirsutis (albis ?) basi tetrandris ; fmninea terminalia, e squamis 

 dense imbricatis erectis unifloris mucronatis glabris constantia. Calijx superus, 

 4-dentatus. Corolla o. Ovarium uniloculare, compressum, dipterum; 

 ovido solitario erecto ; s^yZo brevissimo ; stigmatibus duobus linearibus pa- 

 tentibus. Strobiliis oblongus, e squamis duris patentibus mucronatis pubes- 

 ceutibus constans. JVuces parvi, compressi, dipteri, putamine crustaceo 

 fragili; basi obliqui intrusi. Semen 1, erectum, cordatum, cotyledonibus 

 lobatis complicatis, radiculd supera protrusa. — J. L. 



Fortunaea chinensis. Arbor (?) ; foliis pinnatis 4 — 5-jugis 'cum imparl ; 

 foliolis ovato-lanceolatis biserratis. — J. L. 



