ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. I9 



Sub-order BARR1NGT0^UE^. 



^ This IS a smaJ tribe including, according to Lindley, only seven genera, two of which Bar- 

 ringtonia^nA Careya are found in continental India. Respecting this sub-order Dr. Lindley re- 

 marks " x\o characters have yet been assigned to these plants by which they may be known from 

 i»/?/r?aceae except their alternate leaves without semi-transparent dots, and the presence of 

 stipules. The latter peculiarity which has been assigned to them by Von Martins does nofe 

 existin any of the species I have examined, so that the substantial distinction is reduced to 

 the farst mentioned. There is, however, something so peculiar in the appearance of these plants, 

 that one can hardly doubt that some good characteristic mark will be one day added to those 



they already possess." 



One such mark certainly does exist in the seed, which Roxburgh correctly describes as 

 having a simple inverse embryo the length of the ample perisperm or albumen as it is now called 

 and pointedly remarks on the similarity existing between the seed of these plants and some 

 UuUiJerac- B. very sufficient distinction between them and true Mijrfnceae, in which no such 

 structure is known to exist. Hence it appears that, however closely allied by the flower, they 

 are essentially distinct as regards properties, structure of the seed, and mode of germination. 

 Ihese are powerfully aided by habit, that is, by their alternate often serrated leaves without pel- 

 lucid dots and by their 4 rarely 2 celled ovary, than which, it appears to me, distinctions of 

 much less value have been allowed to divide as nearly allied families. This last, I am well aware 

 is an argument of no weight, as it does not necessarily follow, that, because we have fallen into 

 one error another should be committed to keep it in countenance, and would not have been 

 used, had I felt any doubt of their being distinct. On these grounds I view Barringtonia, 



(th 



My 



forming, if not a 



Geographical Distribution. Seven or eight genera have by different authors been re- 

 ferred here : three of these are of Indian origin, viz. Barringfonia, Careya, and Glap/n/ria, 

 the last a native of the Moluccas, unknown to me. The other two are widely distributed over 

 inrlia. One fGM5?ai;?ay is common to tropical America and Java, and all the others doubt- 

 tully reterred here, are entirely American or West Indian. 



^ Properties and Uses. Little seems to be known respecting these. The bark of Bar- 

 ringtonia fht.ravad>umj racemosa is somewhat bitter and is said by Dr. Ainslie, on the autho- 

 rity ot the vitians to have properties siiuilar to Cinchona, while the root is considered valuable 

 on account ot its cooling aperient anddeobstruent properties. Of Gustavia speciosa Dr. Lindley 

 (i^lora medica) remarks - according to Humboldt and Bonpland children are very fond of the 

 iruit and become quite yellow after eating it, but in 24 or 48 hours they regain their natural co- 

 lour without any remedy." The species of both Ban-inglonia and Careya are for the most part 

 considerable trees. 1 he former frequenting low moist grounds, the 'latter preferring more 

 elevated and dryer situations, but I have not been able to learn that the timber of any of them 

 IS held in esteem, by either the carpenter or ship-builder. 



Remarks on Genrra and Species. On the two genera which compose the Indian por- 

 tion ot this sub-order there is but little room for remark. One peculiarity however I have ob- 

 served, namely, that the number of cells of the ovary differ not only in different species but occa- 

 sionally m different specimens of the same plant. When variations, in this respect, occur, I have 

 found them indicated by the calyx, the lobes of which correspond with the cells. B. race- 

 mosa hm usually a two-lobed calyx, and the ovary is 2-celled,* but, sometimes, the calyx is 

 three-lobed, and then I have found the ovary 3-celled. B. acutangula has a 4 lobed calyx and 

 4-celIed ovary as Gartner describes: hence the generic character is neither ovary 4-celled as 

 Oaertner has It, nor 2-celled as Roxburgh, correcting Gartner, says it should be^ hut, ovary 



calj'x, which I find 4-cdled. 



exammiDg 



