74 NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 
The order itself, in its Botanical characters, is one of great simplicity, being quinary in 
all its parts except the ovary, which is usually 3-celled or, in other words, made up of 3 united 
earpels, each cell usually containing several ovules. I have however specimens of Lonicera 
Leschenaultii, (the common Hill Honeysuckle,) with four and five celled fruit; this however is 
a rare and accidental variation probably depending on some local cause. 
Three carpels, with several ovules in each, is the usual number in Zonicera, and most of 
the other genera; but Viburnum departs widely from the character of the order in that respect, 
as I find, in all the species I have examined, upwards of 20 in number; it has constantly a soli- 
tary carpel witha single ovule pendulous from the apex of the cell. Thinking this structure 
limited to the Neilgherry species, my first thought was to remove them from the rest of the 
genus, which nearly all modern Botanists describe in such a way, as_ either to lead to the in- 
ference, that it has a plurality of cells and ovules, or actually assert, that such is its structure ; 
and had I not possessed specimens of two common European species which agreed in struc- 
ture with our Indian ones, I would undoubtedly have acted on my first impressions, on the 
supposition that the Indian members of the family had been referred to it on external appear- 
ances only, without sufficient examination ; and as affording a striking illustration of the im- 
portance of Geographical distribution in the limitation of genera. The case however as it 
now stands, is less creditable to the leaders of the science in Europe, than I at first supposed. 
The affinities of this order need not be dwelt upon: it is evidently most nearly related 
to Rubiacee, from which indeed it scarcely differs except in the want of interpetiolar stipules, 
a character of great importance as being the only invariable bond of union by which the 
large assemblage of plants, congregated under that family, are held together. In one tribe 
hitherto associated with Rubiacew, they are wanting or doubtful, and that has, by Dr. 
Lindley, been removed from them as a distinct order, under the name of Stellate. The pecu- 
liar structure of the ovary of Viburnum, furnishes a connecting link with Loranthacee, not 
previously suspected, an order in other respects far removed. 
VIBURNUM. Gvusuper Rosz, Lauristinus. 
with the teeth of the calyx, Seed compressed.—Shrubs. Leaves opposite, petioled, entire or lobed. ‘Corymba 
terminal. Flowers white, or slightly reddish.—W. and A. Prod. p. 388. 
This is an extensive genus consisting for the most part of handsome flowering shrubs with some small 
trees, I am not aware of any of large dimensions; several of the species are much cultivated as ornamental 
shrubs, and are prised on account of their property of flowering late in autumn or winter, when other flowers 
are not to be had. According to the most recent enumeration, the genus includes nearly 70 species, natives 
of Europe, Asia and America. Among the Asiatic species several are from China and Japan, and four are 
natives of the Neilgherries; a 5th, V. pubigerum described in our Prodromus, I have since ascertained to be an 
imperfect specimen of V. Wightianum. 
These are all handsome flowering shrubs generally meriting a place in gardens, though their claims to this 
distinction are, as will be seen from the plates, very unequal. 
In the above genuine character which is copied from DeCandolle, and adopted in our Prodromus, the 
fruit is said to be a “ berry by abortion one-seeded.” This is a mistake: it is one-seeded, but not by abortion, 
as the analysis of the ovary of all the species will show that the ovary contains only one ovule, consequently no 
abortion can have taken place when that one comes to maturity, 
