Materials for a Flora of tJie Malayan Peninsula. ]85 



574 and 379. M. sclerophylln, Thwaites Ennm. 407 ; Beddomc 1. c, 

 xxiii. M. Nagana, Gard. in Calc. Journ. Nafc. Hist, vii, 4. 



In all the Provinces. Distrib. Eastern and Southern provinces 

 of British India ; Ceylon ; often cultivated. 



A variable species to which many names have been given. A form 

 with narrow leaves ("5 in. broad) and small flowers is found in Ceylon, 

 And was distinguished by Thwaites as var. ancfxtstifoUa {M. salicina, 

 PI. and Tri.). In other forms from Ceylon and the South of India, the 

 leaves have very little of the characteristic white waxy powder on their 

 under surfaces; and these formed the bases of Planchon and Triana's 

 species M. pnlchella, and of Wight's M. Coromandeliana. 



2. Mksua LEPiDOTA, T. Anders, in Hook. fil. Fl. Br. Ind. I, 288. 

 A slender ghilirous ti*ee, 60 to 80 feet high ; the branches pale brown, 

 the youngest minutely ruc;ose when dry. Leaves coriaceous, shining, 

 narrowly elliptic or oblong-hmceoliite, the apex shortly acuminate, the 

 biise acute ; lower surfjice pale, nerves indistinguishable but the midrib 

 prominent on both surfaces ; length 2 to 3 in., breadth "75 to 1*2 in., 

 petiole 'Id in. Flowers unknown. Fruit solitary, terminal, pedicellate, 

 broadly ovoid or depressed-globular when young, slightly pointed when 

 mature, apiculate, 1 in. or more in diam., subtended at the base I)y the 

 4 liguified sub-rotund spreading sepals ; pericarp thick, woody, rugulose, 

 dehiscing vertically by 2 (rarely 3) pointed valves. Seeds two, plano- 

 convex, or one depressed-globose; the testa brown, brittle; pedicels 

 1 to I'5 in. long, thickened upward, and with several minute subuhite 

 deciduous bracts at their bases. 



Malacca; Griffith (Kew Distrib. 'No. 815). Perak ; Scortechini, 

 No. 183*, King's Collector, Nos. 4551 and 5881. 



It is suggested iu Fl. Br. Ind. (I, 278) that Griffith's No. 845, 

 although now put with 3Iesua, is probably the type of a new genus 

 between Kayea and Mesua. Griffith's specimens have no flowex\s, and 

 unfortunately neither have those of the Perak collectors. The latter 

 appear to belong to the same plant as Griffith's ; but their leaves aj'e 

 rather smaller, the branchlets more slender, and the pericarp slightly 

 thinner. It may therefore be found, when fuller material is forthcoming, 

 that there are two species here, and that neither belongs to Mesua. 



Order XV. TERNSTRCEMIACE^. 



Shrubs rarely climbing, or trees. Leaves alternate, simple (in 

 Indian species) entire or often serrate, usually coriaceous, exstipnlate. 

 Flowers handsome, seldom small, usually subtended by 2 sepal-like 

 bracts, rarely diclinous, axillary, 1 or more together, rarely in lateral or 

 terminal racemes or panicles. Sepals 5, rarely 4-7, free or slightlv cou- 



125 



