NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 85 
prickly coriaceous leaves: axillary many flowered peduncles : flowers bisexual or imperfect and polygamous by 
the abortion of one of the sexes. 
With reference to this last peculiarity it may be mentioned that the specimen figured of J. Wigh- 
éiana has perfect bisexual flowers that of J. Gardneriana has them imperfect, the male organization only being 
developed. The latter was gathered in February and at the same season I examined many flowers of the other 
similarly imperfect on trees having fruit on them, whence I infer that the season at which the flower expands 
exerts some influence on their fertility. 
Inrx (P.) Wieutrana. (Wall.) : glabrous, leaves ending ina tapering acumen: umbels axillary or aggre- 
ovato-elliptic or elliptic acuminate entire, ¢ naked branches : pedicels often shorter 
riaceous: umbels numerous axillary or from the scars than the peduncles, sparingly hairy : calyx and corolla 
of fallen leaves, pedicels about the length of the pe- 5 lobed, the former curulbiea with short heirs. 
duneles, often longer: flowers often polygamous by —_In clumps of jungle near Sispara on the Western 
i 5-6-cleft, berry 5-6-seeded. slopes of the Neilgherries, flowering in profusion in 
Neilgherries—frequent : to be met with in flower at February. 
nearly all seasons, but in greatest perfection in all A small tree or large shrub, and at the time we 
February and : g 7 a 
A large umbrageous tree everywhere glabrous, It was not then in fruit, indeed most of the flowers 
leaves from an inch and half to two inches long, cori- seem males. It seems very nearly allied to the preced- 
aceous, shining above paler and dull beneath, usually ing but differs in habit, in its much larger, more mem- 
ending in a short abrupt acumen. Flowers very nu-  branous, and Jong acuminate leaves, and also in larger 
merous, small, white; at certain seasons nearly all and more conspi s flowers. At first I felt disposed 
males, at others generally bisexual. Berries about the to consider this a variety of I. Wightiana, viewing the 
size of a pea, red when ripe.—I measured one tree 18 larger size of the leaves and flowers as nding o 
feet in circumference at about 6 feet from the ground. the plants, being younger and more luxuriant, an error 
LIX GARDNERIANA. ‘ ) = subarboreous which Mr. Gardner first pointed out, I therefore de- 
glabrous : leaves ovate lanceolate or subcordate, dicate the species to him. 
. SAPOTACE. 
This order is so tropical in its habits, that I am not aware of more than three spe- 
cies being found on the Hills, out of about 230 which it contains. On the plains they are 
more numerous, but so far as regards the number of species they are far from numerous in 
India, probably about 30 composing the whole. In the Madagascar Islands including the 
Mauritius and Bourbon, they seem to exceed that number, several are from the Eastern 
Islands, a few from China, New Holland and the Cape, but the bulk of the order are na- 
tives of America and the West India Islands. In its affinities this order seems nearly relat- 
ed to both the preceding, but is still amply distinct, so much so, that Lindley places all 
three in different alliances, esteeming Sapotacee more nearly allied to Rhamneous plants, Ih- 
_ einee to Gentianeous ones and Myrsinee to a third set vary different from both, consisting of 
Plumbago, Plantago and Primula. The affinities which led to the adoption of the two first of 
these seem to me overstrained, while those which connect Sapolacee and Ilicinee, which 
appear stronger than the other, are altogether broken down. Between Myrsineacee Pri- 
mulacee and Plumbaginee the connecting links are strong, much more so, it appears to me, 
those between Myrsineacee and Sapotacee : while, as I understand them, the relationship 
between Sapotaceee Ilicinee and Ebinacee is most close and intimate: structure habit and 
geographical distribution all combining to give strength to the alliance. Styracee (the 
next order) which most Botanists look upon as 80 closely unitéd with Eéinacee that 
Endlicher has even arranged them under that order as “ allied Ebenacee,” Lindley has 
placed next Sapotacee in his Rhamnal Alliance. In this distribution it seems to me he 
