-NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 61 
While engaged in preparing the article Myrtacee, for my Illustrations of Indian Botany, the futility of 
such characters in the formation of genera, was rendered strikingly obvious by two or three species in my 
herbarum, which neither associated with any of these, nor would they unite with each other to form one addi- 
tional genus. Each required to be elevated to the rank of a genus resting on characters equally artificial with 
any of those given above. This circumstance induced me to examine with much care, the characters of ] 
these genera, as given by DeCandolle, which led to the conviction that they are, at best, all mere sections or. 
subgenera of one vast and very natural genus, differing from each other more or less in habit, and in the form 
of parts of secondary value in the formation of genera, but corresponding in those of really essential importance 
—the position, structure and contents of the ovary ; structure of the seed, and position of the radicle. In these 
points they all agree, and to the same extent differ from the rest of the family of Myrtacee. This last fact had 
much influence in inducing me to re-unite all the above named genera into one comprehensive whole. 
The genus thus formed is one of great extent, prea probably not fewer than 400 species. These 
distributed generally over the tropics and warmer latitudes on either side. America, Asia, Africa and Nia 
Holland, all claim indigenous species, but ei a most predominate in America, and are very sparingly distri- 
buted in Australia. Three species of the subgenus Syzygium, present themselves in the woods about Qotas 
camund, and one of these occurs on the top of Dodabet, a fourth is met with on the lower levels. of Coonoor 
and Kotagherry, but rarely ascending above that level. Onthe Western slopes E. Munronii, referable to the 
subgenus Jaméosa, occurs some distance below Sisparah. 
The following characters of the subgenera of this extensive genus, I extract from my illustrations slight- 
ly modified :— 
1. Eu sucenta, Calyx tube globose; limb 4-parted down to the ovary. Pedicels axillary, one 
flowered. 
2. Jamposa, Calyx tube turbinate rarely cylindrical; limb produced considerably beyond the. ovary, 
cup-shaped, margin 4-cleft, Cymes lateral or terminal, flowers usually large: fruit often edible, 
3. Caryopny.uus. Calyx tube cylindrical, limb deeply 4-cleft. Cymes. terminal, somewhat corym- 
bose. Flowers highly aromatic. 
- Acmena. Calyx tube long clavate, much produced beyond the cell of the ovary; limb truncated. 
entire, or repandly 4-5-lobed.. Flowers numerous, inflorescence variously racemose or corymbose, petals 4-5 
or numerous—8-12—free or cohering. 
5. Syzyerum. Calyx tube short, contracted, pedicel-like ; limb dilated cup-shaped, much produced 
beyond the ovary, margin truncated, or repandly lobed. Cymes corymbose, flowers small, petals usually 
cohering. 
Evcenra (S) Arnorrrana (R. W. Ill. Ind. Bot. a considerable extent by = natives, though, owing to 
br ies tree densiflorum Wall.) leaves sap oblong, its riba! by no means palatable. 
ded, coriaceous, dotted: cyme dense, a (S Sigitelasimees (R. W. Tlust. 
Seales: peduncles lateral, general and bow Ind. Bot.) oaoak, ramuli, 4-sided: leaves approxi- 
stout, the —— ones short and bearing at t mated towards the ends of the branchlets, Aria 
an umbel o 2 almost sessile flowers Nabtended be oval, very obtuse, to ovale orbicular, cori 
oblong-linear es oe — as; calyx shortly tubi- veinless above, pen erved Senent when ae 
hate ; limb cup-shaped, shortly and bluntly soothed slightly revolute. on 7] margin, not dotted :. cymes 
_ lobed : ie oe before falling off—W. and _ terminal, wie, eae peduncled, many flowered : 
Prod. p y : 
orbicular, separat-. 
_Abundan tin the jungles about QOotacamund, and ing a one: berries oval, oblong, ecalenk dark pur- 
rally met with in the woods on the higher hills. ple when ripe. 
Ie isa Peper dees ifal tree, generally of low growth, with — Alow spreading tree, very. abundant 
i ; ne umbrageous ! 
i ith in fi dik stations 
riads nd its oblong dark purple succulent austere tast~ head. It is to be met with in flower at ‘ 
ed frui ‘Cot erie nt thick and fleshy placed butis in greates t perfection in March mn Ave The. 
horizontally one above the other with a small radi- fruit is so like those of E. Arnottiana, th e€ same 
cle betw deabviytinn will serve for both. 
The fruit, which is. sweetish. and austere, is eat Win + ; 
