212 flora indica. [Lardizabalece 



persistent ib us vestiti. Folia alterna, digitata vel pinnata, exstipalata, 

 foliolis articulatis. *Inflorescentia racemosa, racemis axillaribus vel ter- 

 minalibus interdum corymbom. Mores albi virideseentes vel purpitrei. 

 Fructus palposus, edidis. 



This small but curious group was originally indicated as a distinct Order by Brown, 

 and has been admirably illustrated by Decaisne in a paper published in the c Archives 

 du Musee/ in 1837, since which time no addition has been made to our know- 

 ledge of the Order. Lardizabalea? are quite intermediate between Menispermacece 

 and Berberidece, but possess in common a number of striking characters, which en- 

 title them to be regarded as a very distinct family.. In the number and arrangement 

 of the parts of the perianth the flowers agree with both Orders ; but their form, and 

 especially the shape of the stamens, which are often monadelphous, and have elon- 

 gated anthers, readily distinguish them from both. The polyspermous fruit is also a 

 peculiar character, shared only by Podophyllum amongst Berberidece. The abnormal 

 arrangement of the ovules over the whole surface of the ovary was formerly consi- 

 dered a universal distinguishing mark, but in Becaisnea the ordinary type reappears. 



In the unisexual flowers and scandent habit of the majority of the Order, Lardiza- 

 bdlece agree with Menispermacece, but the indefinite ovules and the whole structure 

 of the androecium at once distinguish them, and compound leaves do not occur in 

 Menispermacece, except in the imperfectly known genus Burasaia, which, as we have 

 already mentioned, is in that respect quite intermediate, but seems to have the em- 

 bryo of Menispermacece. To Berberidece they approach through Lardizabala, which 

 has flowers and leaves more like those of a Berberry than those of the Asiatic genera 

 of the Order, and especially through Becaisnea, which has the simply pinnated 

 leaves, and leaflets articulating with the petiole, of the section Mahonia, and through 

 Podophyllum, w r hich has a fleshy pericarp, broad placenta, and the seeds imbedded 

 in pulp. The solitary carpels of Berberidece, however, at once distinguish them. 



The number of species known is very small, and, except two, which are natives of 

 western South America, beyond the tropic, the group is entirely confined to the 

 Himalayo-Chinese region, the species occurring throughout the Himalaya aud in the 

 Khasia, and in the hilly regions of China and of Japan. None are known in Ava, 

 in the Malayan Peninsula, or in the Indian Archipelago. 



1. DECAISNE A, H.f. et T. 



Sepala 6, lineari-subulata, rest, subimbricantia. Petala 0. Stamina 

 in fl. raasc. monadelpha, tubo cyliudrico, antlieris oblongis, eomiectivo 

 in pvocessum longnm attermatum prod net o ; in hermaphroditis parva, 

 antheris masculorum similibus sed minoribus, filamento brevissime li- 

 bero suffultis. Ovaria 3, lineari-oblonga, stylo disciforrai oblique obo- 

 vato-oblongo intus sulcato. Ocula placentis 2 filiformibus parallelis 

 suturse ventrali approximatis sed ab ea diseretis inserta,indefinita, nume- 

 rosissima, anatropa. FolUcidi pulpa repleti ; semina indefinita, prope 

 suturam ventralem biserialia,horizontalia 3 compressa, obovata, testa Crus- 

 tacea atro-fusca nitida lsevi. — Frutex erecttis subsimplex, foliis piunatis^ 

 itiflorescentia racemosa terminali, floribus viridescentibus. 



This remarkable genus makes a very unexpected and valuable addition to our know- 

 ledge of the Natural Order to which it belongs, and will therefore most appropriately 

 have the name of M. Decaisne*, in whose admirable monograph we have a model of 



* Two Orchideous ganera have already been dedicated to M. Decaisne, one by 

 Brongniart, the other by Lindley ; but, by an unfortunate mischance, in both. cases a 

 previous name supersedes that of Ik'raisnea. 



