NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 43 
mountains, one being found in the woods about Dodabet, and that so nearly allied to I. 
aureculatum, a coast plant, that I was for some time inclined to look upon them rather as 
varieties than distinct species. They both belong to the 3-foliolate division, both have 2 
ovules in each cell of the ovary and, almost invariably, one of these cells abort in its pro- 
gress towards maturity, leaving a single berry, sometimes 2-seeded, in place of a double one, 
so common inthe genus. Thus agreeing in so many points, it may still be doubted whe- 
ther my first impressions were not the more correct, in which case we should have a 
species equally adapted to the plains of India, and toa climate almost European in its 
temperature. The genus Jasminum, includes nearly one hundred species, exclusive of 
eight named, but undescribed species. 
Its station in the vegetable kingdom seems still undetermined. Hitherto it has 
been considered little more than a section of Oleacee, and, unquestionably, but, for its 
unsymmetrical flowers, it could scarcely be kept distinct, since, in both families we find 
erect or at all events ascending and pendulous ovules, and a whole section of the Olives, | 
with exalbumenous seed ; showing that no weight can be attached to the position of the 
ovules, those of some Jasmines being descending; nor to their seed being albumenous, as 
the same structure exists inthe other. But the symmetrical quaternary flowers and valvate 
eestivation of the one and the unsymmetrical flowers and contorted zstivation of the other, 
at cnce shows how widely distinct they are in nature. According to my view, they are 
evidently more nearly related to Apocynacee, than with Oleacee, but according to 
Lindley, their true affinities belong to neither, but to the Borages a relationship which I 
confess I cannot so clearly make out. 
India is certainly the native country of Jasmines, but a few extend to Africa and 
New Holland, two are natives of Europe and of South America. Their trailing habit 
fitting them so well for arbours combined with their profusion of beautiful fragrant ftowers, 
have always secured much consideration, for this beautiful family of plants, The flowers 
of some of them yield a fragrant essential Oil, and the Orange coloured tube of the 
Nyctanthes is used as adye. And who in India has not seen the fragrant ornaments for 
the hair and necklaces formed of their flowers, and considered by native women, on occasi- 
ons of dress and ceremony, their chief decorations. 
JASMINUM. 
Calyx campanulate, 5-8 lobed, teeth sometimes subulate, sometimes short. Corolla salvour shaped ; 
tube terete, limb flat 5-8 parted, lobes oblique, contorted in estivation. Stamens two adnate to the tube of 
corollaincluse. Ovary 2 celled 1-2 ovuled: ovules erect, ascending lateral, or sometimes pendulous. Stylesimple, 
2 lobed at the apex. Berry didymous, cells 1 or, rarely, 2 seeded. Seed erect exalbumenous.—Erect & scandent 
shrubs : leaves opposite or rarely alternate, all compound, or occasionally the petiol jointed in the middle, and 
bearing one leaflet, or sometimes bearing from 3 to 7 leaflets, and then the leaves are 3 foliolate, or unequally 
pinnate : panicles few or many flowered corolla, yellow or white, sometimes redish externally. 
The bulk of this character is copied from De Candolle, but to render it applicable to the genus, as Lhave 
found it in India, it was necessary to introduce a few words regarding the ovary and ovules, In the original 
