16 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY: 
i ery few beyond the 30th degree of latitude. In 1832, when Alphonse DeCandolle 
plished his ace ot this family, ae reckoned 204 as the total number of = et of these 
87 are Asiatic, 95 American, and 22 or 23 African, He thinks, however, that the relative pro- 
portion of the dnonacee, to the total vegetation, is nearly the same in all equatorial regions. 
In 1818, the number of known species amounted to 105, hence in the short interval of 14 years, 
the number of species was doubled, and several have since been added. Dr. Wallich enumerates 
about 80 Indian species, to these one or two were added by Mr. Arnott and myself, and several 
other peninsular species, have been recently discovered in the course of my excursions : doubtless, 
many yet remain in our jungles, especially in those tracts of hilly country, enjoying a moist 
climate, with a moderate range of temperature. From this I infer, that when such localities 
have been more carefully examined, the Indian list will be found to exceed 100 species ; which 
consider the more probable, as I observed at Courta um, where I found the greatest number, 
that they always occupied the thickest woods, and being themselves, generally of a very plain, 
and unostentatious aspect, with small flowers, are apt to be passed unnoticed, In proof of the 
correctness of this opinion, I believe it is only necessary to add, that when DeCandolle and Dunal 
wrote, the number of known, Indian species, amounted to only thirteen. 
_ Properties anp Uses. Like most other tropical orders, the properties and uses of 
Anonacee, are imperfectly known to Europeans ; and in this country at least,a very few huveas 
yet been admitted into cultivation, though some of them are sufficiently ornamental. For their 
fruit, three species of Anona, are cultivated in India, 4. squamosa, (custard-apple) 4. reticulata, 
(bullock’s heart) and .4. muricata, (sour sop). This last I have not myself seen in India, but 
being the 4. asiatica of Linneus, must have been one of the first introduced 
fragrant flowers, springing froma curious hook, or grapple, is occasionally, thou 
tivated as an ornamental shrub, which it.well merits. These 
shrubs, we possess. G'uatteria virgata, (the lancewood of Jamaica) the wood of which ig highly 
ery useful addi- 
tion to our stock of woods, suited for the operations of the coachmaker. é 
lost grance ; and for their aromatic proper- 
ties, diffused through every part of the plant. The roots of the Uvaria n ithe 
. + id 
‘a, natives of both Africa, and A merica, 
X, 
not unlike that of the orange seed. The wild pj 
that ; wild 
delicate bitterish flavour, so peculiar to them Ep See bolts ig ne ore oh 
