NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 95 
The genus Gaultheria is an intermediate form, or sort of half way house between 
them; the ovary is at first superior and the mature seed are the small dust-like forms met 
with in the rest of the family, but the calyx grows with the growth of the seed vessel and 
by the time it has attained maturity has covered it with a thick pulpy coat giving it quite a 
berry like appearance which, until dissected, might easily be mistaken for a true berry and 
mislead the observer as to the family to which, it belongs. The same may, to some extent, be 
said of the strawberry tree, Arbutus, though from a different cause, the thickening namely of 
the seedvessel itself, changing the fruit from a capsule into a sort of berry or Nuculanium 
which, unless carefully looked to, might easily pass for a true one, which, however, differs in 
being usually inferior or enclosed within the tube of a fleshy calyx. 
The family very naturally divides itself into four tribes or suborders easily defined 
and differing so far in habit as to be generally readily recognized, namely ARBUTrE® with in- 
dehiscent berried fruit and deciduous corolla. ANDRoMEDE# fruit capsular opening along the 
middle of the cells, (loculicidal) corolla deciduous, buds always scaly. Ertce® fruit capsular 
loculicidal, or rarely septicidal, corolla withering on the stalk (not deciduous) buds without 
scales. Ruopore#x fruit capsular splitting along the partitions (septicidal) corolla deci- 
duous often deeply cleft, flower buds usually scaly. The two Neilgherry species belong to 
the second and last of these tribes Gaultheria being Andromedious and Rhododendron of course 
Rhodoreous. These two tribes with Arbutee are principally confined to the northern 
hemisphere and abound in Europe and North America, while Southern Africa is truly the 
native country of the true Hricee: a small portion only of the vast genus Erica being in- 
diginous to countries north of the line. 
In regard to properties, this family may almost be passed over in silence, not but 
that some of its members possess them and in considerable energy, but because they are 
not such as can, in this country at least, be rendered available to the wants of mankind, 
except as objects of great beauty, pleasing to tke senses and furnishing fine subjects for 
the flower garden and shrubbery. 
GAULTHERIA. 
alyx 5 lobed, afterwards enlarging becoming more or less baccate and enclosing the capsule. 
Corolla ovate, mouth often contracted 5 toothed. Stamens 10 included, filaments often villous : anthers 4 
awned, namely, each cell biaristate rarely muticous. Ovary 5 celled free, embraced at the base by 10 hypo- 
gynous scales, placente ascending; style filiform ; stigma obtuse, more or less lobed at the apex. Capsule 
globose, depressed, 5 celled, 5 furrowed, 5 valved, dehiscing loculicidally, the valves bearing the partitions. 
Seed numerous minute, testa reticulate. Evergreen shrubs or small trees natives of America and India. 
Leaves alternate, dentate or entire. Pedicels axillary one flowered or racemose, furnished at the apex with 
two bractioles. Corolla white, rose coloured, or scarlet. 
In this character there is no allusion to the occasional partial abortion of the stamens shown in 
figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying plate. 
This fine genus is one of considera 
character is the fleshy calyx and consequent spuriously baccate fruit. This can only with certainty be made 
out in. specimens with fruit far advanced towards maturity which may, perhaps, account ee Sir W. Horker 
referring our species to Andromeda and D.C. doubtfully to Leucothe in neither of which vag caaserneee 
exists, both indeed, in the estimation of Endlesher, forming but one genus, the grounds of separation not being, 
in his opinion, of more than sectional value. 
ble extent about 50 species being already described. Its essential 
H 
