NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 91 
somewhat ornamental at a distance but the fetor exhaled by the flowers does not encourage 
a closer acquaintance. Burstnepetalum is certainly avery fine tree, as seen growing in its 
native jungles in the humid climate of Sispara, but I am doubtful whether, if transferred to 
other situations, it would realize the expectations of the planter. 
GOMPHANDRA.— Wall. 
Flowers unisexual, by abortion, calyx small, not enlarging in the fruit. Petals 4 or 5 cohering at 
the base. Stamens all fertile as many asthe petals alternate with them; filaments clavate ; anthers 
innate. Ovary free, 1-celled with 2 ovules pendulous from the apex, stigma sessile, lobed. Fruit drupacious; 
one-seeded, embryo smallin the apex, of a copious albumen, radicle next the hilum. 
Large rambling shrubs, inflorescence axillary cymose, flowers numerous in the male, about 3 in 
the female. 
n the rudimentary ovary of the male, traces of two ovules are seen, and the female flowers are fur- 
nished with sterile stamens, the anthers of which are hairy, while those of the male are nearly glabrous. 
G DRA PotyMoRPHA. (R. W.) diocious flowering in March and April, and, usually, the female, 
glabrous, leaves petioled, membranaceous, glancous at t the same time bear ring ripe seed, showing that i t 
beneath, from oblong to obavate lanceolate accumi-_ is in ower on part of the year. The plant en 
nated: cymes axillary solitary or in pairs, aboutthe  figu hes most nearly to my_ variety 
length of the petiol ; male, many flowered, female 2 or G. ‘aupealifuta: arts Ind. Bot. p. 103, but “ei not 
3 flowered : calyx entire, minutely 4 or 5 toothed: seem quite identical. ep healed he find charac- 
petals 4 or 5 united below, glabrous: stamens pro- ters to distinguish it asa spec It seems athe 
open fruit oblong, crowned with the persistent to be an intermediate form ‘eae: that variety and 
stigm cortacta, differing from the latter in being pentan- 
drous, not tetrandro ous, but in other respects, agreeing, 
This large shrub is found in the dense clumps of upon the whole, better with coriacia than polymor- 
jungle about Coonoor, the Avalanche and elsewhere, pha. 
STEMONURUS.— Blume- 
Flowers bisexual or dicecious, by abortion, corolla 5, rarely 6, petaled mous at the base. Stamens 
5, rarely 6, hypogynous ; anthers introrse two-celled. Ovary free, one-celled ; ovules 2 pendulons. Stigma 
obtuse. Drupe one seeded : embryo foliacious, immersed in the apex of a fleshy albumen, radicle superior. 
“Trees or shrubs; leaves alternate entire; flowers axillary small, spicate, cymose, or panicled 
The genus Stermonurus is so imperfectly known that Endlicher has placed it and the preceding, with several 
others, at the end of the order as “ genera ‘penitus dubea” and from some differences in the character as given 
by him,which,however,do not appear essential,it is not improbable our species may yet be separated to form the 
type of a distinct genus. Agreeing, however, as it does, in so many important particulars,with the character as 
drawn by the founder of the genus,I donot feel myself at liberty to constitute a new one while uuacquainted with 
everyother species. The other species of the genus, four in number, are all from Java, while this one seems con- 
fined to the Indian peninsula and Ceylon, but is apparently extensively distributed in both, as I have speci- 
mens from various stations of both countries. On the Neilgberries it is very abnndant and remarkable on 
account of the extreme carrion-like fetor of its flowers,which often _ bright sunshine indicate its proximity 
when the tree itself is concealed, by others, from the sight. 
StTemMoNvURUS -pypsimtes (R. W.) leaves elliptic here represented. From what cause, I am una able 
oblong acuminated, venous, pubescent beneath flow- to state, the flowers are often all males, for a long 
ers terminal, small : eymoe- tact ed Ste where time I had specimens of this tree in my her- 
clothed with short bairs: stamens glabrous: style barium before I ge ot them in sufficient perfection to 
about the ate of the a Overy 5 drupe auvatenn olive- enable me to make out its genus; the leaves vary 
shaped, purple when ripe, greatly in size, I have seen them upwards of seven 
elighetrien in woods, and ‘an : flowering during inches long and three broad, but the usual size is 
the rainy season, but may generally bemet with in tt to 6 ae about 2 broad. The flowers sa very 
both flower and fruit 
This, when growing in favourable situations, ogee ing the most uanasble aan of carrion. The frui 
a large umbrageous tree; the leaves are o 
green colour, and when young marked with vcaninget and the stone so thin and soft that it can be easily 
veins to an extent far beyond what the draftsman has cut with a knife 
