Kadsura.] flora indica. 83 



Semina superposita, reniformia, in pulpa nidulantia ; testa Isevis, Crus- 

 tacea ; albumen copiosmn, oleosum ; embryo minutissimus. — TYutices 

 scandentes, volubiles, glaberrimi, ramulis elongatis, junioribus basi squa- 

 mis gemma persistentibus stipatis, foliis integris integenrimis vel dentatis, 

 floribus plus minus conspicue pellucide punctatis. 



We have only been deterred from following Asa Gray in considering this small 

 group as a section of Magnoliacece y by the unisexual flowers and marked difference in 

 habit, and in particular by the frequently toothed leaves. Its position is undoubtedly 

 in the immediate neighbourhood of Magnoliacece, between that Order and Anonacea, 

 to certain genera of which (especially Stelechocarpus) the aspect of the flowers, and 

 the occasionally truncal inflorescence," indicate a certain degree of approach. 



The family is a very small one. One species inhabits damp woods in the southern 

 United States of America, and the remainder the Indo-Chinese region, from Japan 

 to the Malayan Archipelago, Ceylon and Malabar, and the Himalaya. The leaves 

 and flowers are mucilaginous, the fruit and seeds faintly aromatic, and the woody fibre 

 exhibits glandular disks similar to those of lllicium and Drimys. 



The structure of the andrcecium, which is the most conspicuous character of the 

 plants of this Order, is nevertheless only of importance for the distinction of species, 

 as those plants which are most closely allied, differ very remarkably from one another 

 in the degree of combination of the filaments. Schizandra, with five monadelpho is 

 stamens, is, however, a good genus. The shape of the fruit, on the contrary, is, we 

 think, a natural character, dividing this small Order into two well-marked groups, 

 which, in accordance with the views of Blume in his monograph of the Javanese 

 species, we regard as of generic value. Of these, Kadsura, with globose fruit, con- 

 tains the original species of Japan, and several others ; while Spharostema, with the 

 baccate carpels arranged on an elongated torus, extends from the "Western Himalaya 



to Java. 



1. KADSURA, Juss. 



Sarcocarpon, Blume. 



Sepala 3. Petala 6-9. Stamina 15 vel plura. Filamenta discreta 

 vel in globum coalita. Ovaria nunierosa. Stylus obconicus, lateralis. 

 Carpella baccata, inter se libera, capitulura globosum fonnautia — 

 Frutices scandentes, mucilagi?iosi, floribus albis vel rubescentibus. 



1. K. Roxburghiana (Am. in Jard. Mag. Zool. Bot. ii. 546) ; 

 foliis ovatis vel oblongis carnosulis, filamentis monadelphis, ovariis bi- 

 ovulatis — Kadsura Japonica, Wall. Tent. Nap. 12 (non Juss. necalior.), 

 Cat. 4987 A ! B partim! {specim. dextr.) 4985 B ! Uvaria heteroclita, 



Roxb.Fl. Ind.il 663. 



Hab. In Assam ! et Silhet ! ; in montibus Khasia a basi ad altitudi- 

 nem 5000 ped.! ; et in vallibus calidioribus Sikkim !— (Fl. Mai. Jun.) 

 (v. v.) 



Frutex alte scandens, trunco diametro pollicari et ultra. Cortex ragosus. Hamuli 

 lseves, annulati, basi interdum squamis stipati. Folia cum caule articulata, acuta vel 

 acuminata, integerrima vel remote et obscure denticulata, 3-fl poll, longa, l|-3 lata, 

 petiolo i-poll. Fed culi petiolum duplo superantes, crassiuscnli, basi squamulis 

 gemmaceis persistentibus suffulti, et infra medium bracteas 4-6 ovatas minutas ge- 

 reutes. Flares diametro semipollicares. Sepala rotundata. Felala rotundata, 

 convexa, carnosula, interiora minora. Filamenta basi in columnam centralem cy- 

 lindricara coalita; exteriora pauca, supernc breviter libera, crassa, cylindrica, apice 

 in connectivum carnosum late cuncatum subtruncatum dilatata ; suneriora usque ad 



