536 CIX. LAUEACE.f;. 



4. MACHILUS, Nees. 



Evergreen trees. Leaves alternate, clustered near the ends of the 

 brandies, jjeuniuerved. Flowers small, hermaphrodite, in axillary 

 panic-les. Perianth -tube short or obsolete ; segments 6, subequal, 

 persistent, reflexed in fruit. Stamens 9 perfect, those of the 2 onter 

 rows wilh eglandular filaments and introrse 4-celled anthers, those of 

 the third row with filaments which have 2 stipitate glands at the base 

 and extrorse 4-celled anthers, those of the fourth row replaced by 

 stipitate cordate staminodes. Ovary sessile, narrowed into the style ; 

 stigma discoid. Fruit a globose or ovoid berry, seated on the persistent 

 perianth. Seed with thin testa. — Distrib. Species 15-20, Asiatic. 



1. Machilus macrantha, Nees, in Wall. PI. As. Ear. v. 2 (1831) 

 p. 70. A large tree ; young parts glabrous. Leaves coriaceous, 3i-7 

 by lg-2g in. ; variable in shape, from oblong and rounded at both ends 

 to elliptic-lanceolate and acute at both ends, glabrous, shining above, 

 glaucous beneath, finely reticulately veined ; main nerves 8-12 pairs, not 

 conspicuous ; petioles |-1,| in. long. Flowers yellow, numerous, in 

 panicles near the ends of the branches, often several panicles together 

 C-8 in. long, stout, puberulous. Perianth | in. long, silky-pubescent 

 inside and outside ; tube very short ; segments oblong or linear-oblong, 

 subacute. Filaments hairy. Fruit |-| in. in diam., smooth, dark-green 

 dotted with white, ultimately becoming black. Fl. B. I, v. 5, p. 140 ; 

 Dalz. & Gibs. p. 221 ; Wight, Icon. 1. 1824; Bedd. Flor. Sylvat. t. 264; 

 Trim. FL Ceyl. v. 3, p. 443 ; Talb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p. 283 ; Woodr. 

 in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1899) p. 367. Machilus glaucescens, Wight, 

 Icon. t. 1825 (excl. syn.) ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 221.~Flowers : Dec-Mar. 

 Vebn'. Gulum. 



Dalzell witlioiit locality in Hei-b. Kew. ! Konkan : Law\; moist forests, Talhot; 

 Wari jungles, S/ocks ! ; Matlieran, Cooke\, H. M. Birchvood. S. M. Country: Castle- 

 rock, KanitJcarl ; Parva Gliiit, plentiful, Bahell cf- Gibson. Xanara : Stocksl; 

 tliroughout tiie Ghats of N. Kanara in moist forests, Talbot. — Distrib. India 

 (W. Peninsula) ; Ceylon. 



It is not improbable that there are 2 distinct species here as given by Wight. The 

 berry of M, glaucescens, Wight, is said to be of the size of a gooseberry, that of 

 M. macrantha, Nees, of the size of a large currant. The existing Herbarium material 

 is insufBcient to decide the question. 



5. ALSEODAPHNE, Nees. 



Evergreen trees. Leaves alternate, usually crowded towards the ends 

 of the branchlets, often obovate, penninerved. Flowers hermaphrodite, 

 in axillary and subterminal lax panicles. Perianth deeply divided ; 

 segments 6, subequal or the 3 outer smaller, deciduous. Stamens 9 

 perfect, those of the 2 outer rows with eglandular filaments and introrse 

 4-celled anthers, those of the third row with 2-glandular filaments and 

 extrorse 4-celled anthers, those of the fourth row replaced by small 

 sagittate staminodes. Fruit ellipsoid, seated on the truncate clavate 

 end of the thick fleshy peduncle without any supporting perianth. — 

 DisxiiiB. Species about 15, tropical Asiatic. 



1. Alseodaphne semicarpifolia, Nees, in T/all. PL As. Par. v. 2 

 (1831) ]). 72. A moderate-sized or sometimes a large much-branched 



