f 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY, j 



119 



as the essential character of the genus, then both Macleanea and Anthopterus should be associ- 

 ated as sub-genera, the collateral marks, derived from the calyx and corolla, being scarcely of 

 generic value in a family where these organs are so variable. 



Influenced by such considerations, I have, without hesitation, referred all the Indian species 

 to Vaccinium^ with the sub-generic appellation Agapetes to mark their Asiatic origin, thus : 



JJ'ij—T 



f 



*» 



Y 



VACciNitJM (A) Leschenaultii (R* W. v. arhoreumf 

 Lesch, not Michx. Agapdes arborea^ Dun. in D, C- Prod. 

 Anirormda symplodfolia^ Wall- L. No. 1522), arboreous, 

 older branches glabrous, greyish ^white, ramuli pu-^^ 

 bescenti-villous : leaves shortly petloled, ovato-ellipticV* 

 senated, acute, paler beneath, hairy on the costa: 

 racemes axillary and terminal, about the length of 

 the leaves. 



i 



*■" 



IT 



tn\i 



*^ 



Hrt 



Neilgherries, frequent, flowering March and April, 

 but usually to be met with, in different situations, in 

 flower and fruit at all seasons. The hemes, which are 

 about the size of red currants, are agreeably acid, and 

 make excellent tarts, much resembling in taste those 



made with the cranberry us. Oxycoc pcAustris or O. 



macTocarpus* 



4 



- 1189. Vaccinium (A) Neilgherrense (R. W.), shrub- 

 by, glabrous, except the pubescent young shoots and 

 leaves: leaves lanceolate, acute at the base, acuminate 

 at the point, racemes longer than the leaves, axillary, 

 usually confined to the extremities of the branches: 

 •flowers whitish or rose coloured, short, pedicelled, usual- 

 ly furnished with a large foliaceous bractea: corolla 

 ovate, slightly pubescent: filaments hairy, anthers bris-"^" 

 tied, tubes dilated towards the apex. 



On the low banks of streams, Neilgherries: abundant 

 along the banks of the Pycarrah river for a mile or two 

 above and below the Bungalow. Flowering during ttie 

 dry season, from February till April, It is nearly allied 

 by its technical characters to the former, but is evi- 

 dently quite distinct The large, foliaceous oracts, sup- 

 plies the best distinguishing mark, but both in habit and 

 locality it differs. Flowers usually white and smaller 

 than those of the preceding, smaller even than those 

 of flie specimen selected for representation.'^ " **' 



3. Vaccinium(A)r6tumdifolidm{R. W.), arboreous, 

 glabrous, or with the ramuli slightly pubescent: leaves 

 orbiculafj coriaceous, entire or slightly crenulato-terrate, 

 glabrous, racemes axillary and terminal, longer than the 

 leaves: flowers urceolate, 5-lobed: filaments filiform,: 

 hairy: bristles of the anthers minute or wanting. — A 

 small, very ramous tree. Leaves deep green above, 

 paler beneath. Flowers pale pink, often streal?etf with 

 darker lines, lobes of the corolla hairy, ferries about 

 the size of a large currant, purplish red when ripe. 



Testa of the seed reticulate. s ^ 



I have onl^ met with two or three trees of this 



species, growmg in a clump of jungle, behind Kelso 

 Cottage. ' ^^- f ^i"* ^^ 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 139. 



h^- 



A 



a 



Vamnium rotundifoltum. Flowering branch, natural 

 size. 



If ?•# ** 





1. Detached flower, with its bract. 



2. Corolla split open, showing the stamens. 



3. Detached stamen, back and front views. 



4. Calyx, ovary, and style, showing the prominent, 

 iSeshy disk. 



5. The same cut vertically. 



6. Ovary cut transversely, 5-ceIled, with two^rows of 



superposed ovules in each. ^ , ^ ^ 



7. Placenta with its ovules- A 



ilC 



r 



8. A mature berry. t^ M*i 



9. The same cut transversely. - ^^^^ ; 

 10. A seed. 11. Cut longitudinally, and 12. Trans- 

 versely. ^ i 



13. Embryo detached. 



4«- 



1. 



2. 

 3. 



4. 

 5. 



WaUich 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE 141. D. 



^ k 



Back and front views of antfiers of 



*¥ 



uu\; 



Vaccinium serpens, exaristate, spurred. 

 Vaccinium venosum, cells large, sub-calcarate. 

 V. odontocerum, horns aristate. 

 V. Dunalianum. aristate. filament short* dilated 



ultii, anthers aristate, filaments 



tricose. 



7. V. Griifithianum, aristse large, hairy. 

 - For figures of these species, see Icones Plant, 



Orientalis. 



ven- 



Ind. 



'1 



>. 



CXITI.— ERICACE^. >« 



This large and beautiful family agrees in so many particulars with the preceding, and so 

 much has been said regarding it under that head, that little remains to be added. They agree 

 m similarity of habit, and inflorescence, in the form of their flowers, and structure of their 

 anthers and seed, and with some modifications in their geographical distribution. They differ, 

 however, in the position of their ovary, in relation to the other parts of the flower, and m 

 having a capsular, dehiscent fruit, in place of a baccate and indehiscent one. ^^ 



These differences are far from unimportant, and suggest the question. Ought they to have 

 ordinal value assigned to them? Endlicher, no mean authority, rephes in the negative, and 



O 



