38 NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 
The genus Symplocos, § Hopea, abounds in the Alpine and Subalpine forests of 
India ; nearly 40 species being already known, but I do not recollett having once met 
with a species on the plains. One Symplocos, § Cyponema, I found on the Pulney moun. 
tains, and also in Ceylon, but have not yet found it on the Neilgherries. It is an inter- 
esting species in connection with the Geography of that section of the genus which is other- 
wise exclusively extra Asiatic. 
Of the genus Styrax, which gives the name to the order and includes nearly 50 
species, four or five only are natives of India, As regards economical relations little need 
here be said, only one of the Indian ones so far as I am aware, being applied to any useful 
purposes. Some of the species of Symplocos yield a yellow dye, and it is probable most of 
the Indian ones would yield that colour, as the leaves of nearly all turn yellow in drying. 
Storax and Benzoin, two fragrant gum resins are obtained from two species of Styraz one 
anative of Syria, the other of the Malay Islands. While some of the Brazilian species, 
yield a fragrant secretion of a similar nature which is used in Roman Catholic Churches as 
frankincense, 
The Indian species above referred to is Symplocos laurina, (now S. spicata), 
anative of the Neilgherries, the bark of wiich is celebrated in Bengal, as a mordant for 
red dyes, but has not, so far as 1 am aware, been similarly employed in the Carnatic, except 
perhaps as an imported article of commerce. 
S YMPLOCOS. 
Calyx 5-cleft, often ciliate. Corolla of 5-8-10-petals, in one or two series scarcely united at the base, 
but cohering by means of the adnate stamens. Stamens inserted into the extreme base of the corolla 15, or 
numerous sometimes penta—or poly-adelphous, oftener monadelphous, the tube of the stamens, more or less 
extensively united to the corolla. Filaments 4iform, or ligulate contracted at the apex. Anthers ovoid, glo- 
bose 2 celled, ovary inferior or half inferior, 2-4-5-celled, Ovules 2-4 pendulous from the apex of the cells. 
Style filiform, stigma capitellate, simple or 3 sided. Berry crowned by the calyx, often, by abortion, reduced to 
one or two cells. Seed solitary in each cell. Albumen copious. Embryo axile. Cotyledous very short. Trees 
or Shrubs : leaves alternate serrated or crenulate, usually turning yellow when dry : racemes axillary, many 
flowered, bracteate : flowers, sessile or pedicelled white or red. 
; This genus as it comes from the hands of Professor A. De Candolle, is a large one, including 60 spe- 
cies.—His very extended character makes it a complex and difficult one, especially as regards the character of 
the flower assigned to it, viz. a “ Corolla searcely cohering at the base,” while the characters of his two first 
sections commence, “ Corolla basi tubulosa” and these comprise 27, out of his 57 sufficiently known species. If the 
genus as it now stands, is, as he believes, truly a natural one, he might, I think, easily have avoided so great an 
anomaly as that in his generic character. The section Hopea, the only one we have to deal with here, has the 
“* Corolla 5-parted spreading, stamina cohering at the very bottom, sometimes pentadelphous ; filaments slen- 
der, ovary 3-celled, stigma capitate trigonous.” This character brings together a very natural group of spe- 
mane, and if separated from the rest, would form, of itself, a very natural genus, susceptible of further subdivi- 
sion towards facilitating the discrimination of its species. My acquaintance with the other sections of the 
genus, is too limited to admit of my offering any remark on them. 
: As remarked above, the tubular flowered species, are principally confined to America, while those 
with deeply parted corollas, or even polypetalous flowers, are principally of Asiatic origin, Some of the latter 
