Artabotrys.~\ flora indica. 127 



latum, rotundaturo. Ovula in sutura ventrali indefinita, biserialia. 

 Arbores, foliis glabris lucidis, floribus terminalibus et oppositifoliis, solita- 

 riis vel fasciculatis . 



This very remarkable genus is clearly but briefly defined by Major Champion in 

 the Hookerian Herbarium. The flowers are intermediate between those of Xylopiea 

 and those of Guatteriece % The torus is that of Xylopia, but the petals are flatter 

 than in Habzelia, and veiy like those of some species of Artabotrys. The stamens 

 arc more like those of Guatteriece, and the single ovary with many ovules is very 

 anomalous in the Order. It will be interesting to determine on the living plant the 

 position of the solitary caqjel with respect to the floral envelopes ; our specimens 

 are not sufficiently numerous to enable us to ascertain this point. One species only is 

 known, which appears to be a native both of Ceylon and the Malayan coast. 



1. C. Zeylanicus (Champion, mss. in Herb. Hook.); foliis ob- 

 longo-lanceolatis, pedunculis 1-3 fere pollicaribus, petalis lineari-ob- 



longis. 



Walker 



tani, Kaudy, et Narawelle Galle, Champion!; et in Tenasserim ad 

 Mergui, Griffith! (No. 1032; specimen fructigerum, sed quantum e 

 specimine suppetente judicandum a planta Zeylanica nullo modo dis- 

 tinguendum). 



Arbor. Hamuli heviusculi, atro-fusci, adulti glabri, juniores aureo-pubescentes. 

 Folia 6-10 poll, longa, 2-3 lata, petiolo i-pollicari, utrinque glaberrima, acuminata, 

 basi acuta, coriacea, nervis obliquis, incurvis, venulis crebre reticulatis. Sepala in 

 cyathum truucatum £ poll, altum | poll. diam. coalita, dentibus 5 rotundatis obtusis 

 remotis, fusco-sericea. Petata %\ poll, longa, fusco-sericea, obtusa, -|-f poll. lata. 

 Ovarium obscure costatum, glabrum. Frttctus (ex spec. Griffithiano, in Herb. Wight) 

 late ovalis, utrinque obtusissimus, sesquipollicem longus, plus quam pollicem latus, 

 subtorulosus, glaber, aromaticus. Semina biserialia, 8-10. Testa lsevis. Albumen 

 ruminatum. 



14. ARTABOTRYS, R. Br. 



Sepala 3, basi cohserentia. Petala 6, aest. biseriatim valvata, basi 

 coneava, et circa genitalia constricta, sursum patentia, forma varia. 

 Stamina indefinita, oblonga vel cuneata, connectivo superne truncato 

 piano. Antherce dorsales, loculis remotis. Torus piano- con vexus. 

 Ovaria indefinita vel subdefinita (5-30), ovalia vel oblonga, stylis ova- 

 libus vel lineari-oblongis plerumque reflexis terminata. Ovula 2, e 



basi erecta, collateralia. Carpella forma varia. Semina 1-2, magna. 

 Frutiees sarmentosi vel scandentes, foliis lucidis, floribus interdum sua- 

 veolentibus solitariis vel fasciculatis, pedunculis lignosis uncinatim re- 

 trofractis. 



This genus, which was first characterized by Mr. Brown in the ( Botanical Register/ 

 is readily known by its peculiar habit, and by its floral characters. The uncinate 

 woody peduncles have no parallel in the Order. The position of the genus in the 

 Busily is somewhat doubtful, but, on the whole, its nearest affinities appear to be with 

 the tribe in which we have placed it. The concave base of the petals resembles that 

 of Xylopia and Jlabzelia, but they are all similar in shape, and the upper part is 

 usually quite flat. In one species, however, it is cylindrical or clavate, and in ano- 

 ther triquetrous, — a circumstance which has been overlooked in the preparation of the 

 analytical table of the genera. Artabotrys is for the most part an Asiatic genus, one 



