4 NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 
Ranuncutus Watuiicutanus (W. and A ) is of a as foe habit, with small flo april beat-teioe. 
erect, seta radical leaves roundish ovate, roun ee dor in and June after the rains of the South-west 
somewhat cordate at the base e, c one i crenated ; lovee monsoon rad commenced. _ It is however ina at other 
scape-leaf oblong, toothed, narrowed at the base into a seasons, especially during rainy weather. Another species 
sc peer ones nearly linear pet Galion) nu- is found at the same season and so much resembling 
0-13, twice as long as the patulous : this one, that, to the unpractised eyes it is not distinguish- 
fends of fruit globose : achenia hse , tumid, vantrcaety able, but is at once known by the seed, which, in this, 
dotted ; style nearly straight.— W. and ‘A. Prod. p. 4. is furnished with numerous little nubefeees in seem is 
This species is generally met with in moist woods, dite smooth and without asperities of any kin 
If. MAGNOLIACEX.—Champ, Champac.—Champany. ‘ 
The species of this family are for the most part large trees or shrubs, forming a re- 
markable contrast with those of the preceding family, and on this account apparently most 
unnaturally grooped almost side by side with it. And yet the ablest Botanists who have given 
their attention to the grooping of natural families, so as to form a series in which those most 
nearly associated by the structure of their flowers and fruit should stand nearest each other, 
have hitherto failed in discovering for it a more suitable place in the vegetable system, a fact 
not to be much wondered at, as in the structure of their flowers and fruit, the two families 
so nearly associate that, but for other circumstances, Magnolias might almost be looked 
upon as gigantic Arboreous Ranunculuses. 
The bulk of this family are natives of North America, a few only being found in 
Asia, and none, so far as is yet known, in Europe or Africa. Several are found in China and 
Japan, a few in the Himalayah range, three or four in Ceylon, and two or three on the moun- 
tains of the Indian peninsula. Generally they are distinguished by the fiagrance of their 
flowers, which has led to the introduction, and extended diffusion over India, of the Cham. 
pac as a sacred tree the flowers of which, when procurable, are offered by the natives at the 
shrines of their Idols. : 
The tree here represented is the only one found on the Neilgherries and there 
attains the size of a large timber tree the wood of which however is only used in house build- 
ing. Owing to its hygrometric properties it isnot adapted for other purposes as it swells 
and contracts, according to the moisture or dryness of the atmosphere, to an unusual extent 
even after long seasoning. When formerly writing on this family in my Illustrations of 
India Botany, | considered this distinct from the plant there figured under the name of J. 
Palmyensis, better acquaintance with this one, has led me to doubt the: correctness of the 
opinion there expressed which was mainly formed on what I now find an incorrect figure 
and description. 
MICHELIA. Linn. 
Carpels arranged in a lodse spike, of a consistence between leathery and fleshy, 2-valved, opening from 
the apex downwards. Seeds several (3-8), externally neg im rees. Leaves entire, petioled. Flowers axillary 
generally fragrant, usually of a yellow colour.— W. and A. Prod. p. 6, No. 1. : 
This genus which is the only one of the family found so far south in India consists of large trees or con- 
siderable shrubs and may I believe generally be met with, where abundant, in flower nearly the whole year, but on 
the Hills are in greatest profusion during the rainy season. The flowers are usually rather large iréaaeuite with a 
tinge of yellow very fragrant. Those of the Neilgherry species are nearly white. 
M. Ninacrraca. (Zenker) Leaves illeptic oblong A large tree found frequent 
: the clumps of le 
tapering to a mate a “both ends, glabrous ; stipules and about Ootacam d. Th : : “ tg 
spathes silky petals from 9 in three rows dedisia nume- the thi od djoinin ett Behe’ fe ek bene 
rons shorter than the column of fructification ovaries nu- of ene or two of rn 
merouy abou 4 Sgr yah etr nga na sche aes ‘overhanging the road. 
