52 NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 
Peduncles dichotomous, shorter than the leaves, often terminating the branches, or axillary, or 
extra axillary in the place of the spines, Flowers white, somewhat resembling those of Jasmines, fra- 
grant; lobes of the calyx subulate, ciliate. 
This extended character is somewhat abridged from Alph. De Candolle’s, in his Prodromus. It is 
perhaps more dilated than is necessary for distinguishing the genus, as I believe there is none (certainly 
none in India) with which it is liable to be confounded, but in a work of this kind brevity is not de- 
manded. The genus is one of considerable extent, including about 30 species, but some of these imper- 
fectly known. Alphonse De Candolle defines 20 as known to himself, and names 7 more as less known. 
In addition to these, my herbarium contains two or three undescribed species, and doubtless more will yet 
be found in both India and Africa. 
The plant here represented is abundant on the hills, but particularly so on the slopes leading down 
to the Kaitie Falls, where it forms a perfect jungle on each side of the road. “It is a low, spreading, thorny 
shrub, in flower at all seasons, bearing a small, when ripe, bright black berry, milky before maturity and, 
when ripe, having a rather agreeable sweetish-acid taste, and might, I have no doubt, like that of the 
C. Carandas, be used as a preserve, either as a tart fruit, or for the sake of its jelly ;. except that the seed 
are so large in proportion to the pulp, that a great many would be required to yield a small return. It is 
however a pretty plant, the delicate green leaves and white flowers, tinged with pink, contrasting well 
with the bright black berries. I would recommend it to the attention of those who wish to enrich their 
gardens with native flowers. 
Carissa Paucrnervia (Alph. D. C.), branches sub- during the hot season, April and May, but I believe 
dichotomous, armed: leaves elliptic, oblong, acute generally to be met with in flower. A low, some 
at both ends, mucronate, glabrous, short petioled, few- what diffuse, very ramous, thorny bush: leaves ellip- 
veined, oblique: peduncles terminal and axillary, tic oblong, mucronate, smooth and shining, light pea- 
much shorter than the leaves, 3-5-flowered ; pedicels een, from 4 to 14 inch long, and about half as 
longer than the calyx, puberulous: calyx 5-cleft, broad—flowers white with a slight dash of rose, ber- 
ries about the size of a small bean, oval, dark purple. 
OPHIOXYLON. 
Calyx 5-parted, without glands, lobes linear, oblong, or lanceolate, erect. Corolla salver-shaped, much 
longer than the calyx; tube cylindrical, narrower at the throat, hairy within ; lobes five, ovate, obtuse, 
twisted to the right. Stamens 5, inserted within the throat, incluse ; anthers oblong, acute, longer than the 
filaments, Nectary cup-shaped, entire, undulated on the margin. Ovaries 2, compressed, connate at the 
base; ovules 2 in each, attached above the base ; style 1; stigma ovoid, capitate, bituberculate at the apex, 
and fimbriate round the base and crown. Berries connate at the base, ovoid, 1-seeded, with a more or Jess 
rugous testa, embryo nearly as long as the seed, albumen fleshy (oily in O. macrocarpa, R. W.), cotyledons 
oval, lanceolate, or suborbicular; radicle pointing to the apex. Lactescent, erect, or twining shrubs, Leaves 
opposite or verticelled, oblong, acute at both ends, paler beneath, glabrous or sparingly pubescent beneath, 
cymes axillary, dichotomous, shorter than the leaves, many-flowered ; pedicels short ; flowers white or, with 
the calyx, reddish at the base. Berries black or red. 
Of this genus, only one species was known in 1844, when De Candolle published the 8th volume of 
his Prodromus. Since then I have added 4 to the list, one -from Ceylon, one from the Pulney Mountains, 
one from Belgaum, and the present, which is rather extensively distributed over the Neilgherries but most 
frequent, so far as I have seen, about Kotergherry, whence the specimen here represented was obtained. 
It is a small, rather pretty looking shrub, conspicuous on account of bright dark green foliage, and small 
clusters of white flowers. In its general appearance it has no great resemblance to the original species of 
rpentinum (the root of which is highly esteemed by Native practi- 
toners as a remedy against snake bites, fever, and other affections), but an analysis of its characters shows 
that it clearly belongs to this genus, the above character of which is derived from the original species. 
According to Roxburgh, O. serpentinum is a large twining shrub, a form in which I have no recollection of 
ever having met with it, but on this point I refrain from speaking with any degree of confidence. I know 
that Ihave often seen it as a small erect shrub, and in that form it is not uncommon in gardens about 
