lo4 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



and Jasmines as being so nearly akin as to be undistinguishable in their extreme forms, and 

 through the medium of the ribbed leaves of the transition species, Chondrospermum smUaci- 



r 



Geogeaphical Distribution. This family, though of limited extent as regards the 

 number of species, about 140, has a wide geographical range. Northern Europe, with the 

 exception of Lapland, has its Ash and Privit, and the Lilac has been introduced. Of the 

 gouthern provinces the Olive proper, as is well known, is a native. Thence they extend 

 Eastwards towards India and China, and Westwards to North America. The genus Oka 

 is frequent in India, one half its species, as restricted by De Candolle, being natives. A few 

 are found at the Cape and in New Holland, and three or four in the Mauritius and Madagascar. 

 They are however so sparingly found in Africa, that Endlicher declares them excluded from that 

 quarter of the globe : ''Ex Africa exules." In the Indian peninsula they are generally natives 

 of alpine or subalpine regions, enjoying a temperate climate, but are not confined to them, for 

 I have repeatedly met with species in the jungle-covered plains. They are scattered over 

 India from the Himalayas to Ceylon, and Eastward to the Tenasserim provinces, and thence 

 again to China. 



pRorEUTiEs AND UsES. The Olive oil, so well known, and used for so many purposes, 

 is expressed from the fruit of the common Olive, which, however, is the only one that yields 

 it in any quantity. The Olive itself, preserved in salt and vinegar, is in general repute as 

 an esculent, while the bark and leaves, being bitter and astringent, are considered substitutes 

 for Cinchona. None of the numerous Indian species of Olea seem to be employed for medici- 

 nal purposes, but the timber of several is in repute for its hardness and durability. A species 

 of Ash furnishes the gentle, sweet aperient, Manna, and the bark is said to possess febrifugal 

 properties, and the leaves to be nearly as cathartic as Senna. Of Syringa vulgaris it is 

 reconled, that its febrifugal properties are undoubted. "In that part of the province of Berri, 

 called Brenne, which IS marshy and insalubrious to the last degree, the peasants employ no 

 other remedy for the intermittent fever which prevails there."~Lind. A most important fact, 

 since the Lilac is so easily cultivated m Europe and Cinchona is so expensive. 



m 



Remarks on Genera and Species. In his late revision of the order De Candolle per- 

 formed an important jervice m subdividing it into 4 tribes according to the fruit and seed. 

 C^Ltt ^'^V'^T^^^ ^y '^^ '^^^'^ />r winged fruit ; the Lilac by having a capsule ; the 

 ? Zld^a^^ L. r '' ^'''y^^!"^ *^« Chionanths by having exalbuminoiTs seed; to which 

 I would add ascending or aniphitropous ovules. The former of these is important as some 



Jr^r^Hch ttVha^hP '" ^'^^rf ^"^ '"^ ^'""''''^'^^ ^'' *t^r% — eV to the Olive tribe, 

 whence it mav Hp Jnfprra,? +L* ^ /^ .f.. spiummodo figura laciniarum corollae, from 



whether these should be referred to OleaZ mli. toloUtl'L^""- ^f "*^ """" ^ "the 



first half of the question I am hardlv com,w^n, t„ ™"*"">'^t''e type of a new genus? Ihe 



does constitute 1 genuine specii of tlnt"^ ^e„ „ T%' ^T°,? ™.'";™''.=' " "^'o "''"" "•^""^ 

 Visiania from oj by its fr'l.irwhich are fSs iefi^ed " '^'^""S"'^''^^ ^^ "'^ «^""' 



iu,.rT^uS:7Ll":::l' ""'= "'"^ f"'=""»* "'-°' =»'«'" 2 et seplns l-spern,o, semin. 

 men cSotum/""""' ''"'°™"' °"' "'''""»'' '^"" V^'cUsim^ pmamine charlaceo fragili. Albu- 



in I«drttVuit*oniUhrt'''rhJr ^""' r*- '" ^^^ "'l ™ aware, a singU genuine Oli« 

 hard bony stones like" U'J olW • Tr a^I I" f^'^f ""'^ "'■* ^^"S"' P""""*' "1 



O. £Mroj«eobein»8trictlvref.rol>u .; .1, 1 aware of any species of the genus except 



fore, calkd for, in° the clsf of wh \X iA S''""'- . ■&■ »»"' 'eyisiouT of the order seems, there- 

 course of which. It seems not .mptobable that some of the already long 



