452 APPENDIX. No. V. 
notwithstanding the difference in calyx and inflorescence, is further confirmed 
by a peculiarity in the zstivation of its corolla, which extends only to Lippia 
and, Lantana. 
OLACINA. The herbarium contains a species of Olax differing from all 
the plants at present referred to that genus, m its calyx not being enlarged 
after fecundation, but in its original annular form surrounding the base only 
of the ripe fruit. The existence of this species, which agrees with those of 
New Holland, and with Fissilia of Commerson, in having only five petals, and 
in its barren stamina being undivided, while in habit it approaches rather more 
nearly to the eriginal species O. Zeylanica and to O. scandens of Roxburgh, 
both of which I have examined, seems to confirm the union I have formerly 
proposed,* of all these plants into one genus. When I first referred Fissilia 
to this genus, I only presumed from the many other points of agreement that 
it had also the same structure of ovarium, on which, not only the generic 
character of Olax, but its affinities, seemed to me in a great measure to depend. 
M. Mirbel, however, has described the ovarium of Fissilia as trilocular.- I can 
only reconcile this statement with my own observations, by supposing him to 
have formed his opinion from a view of its transverse section; for on examining 
one of Commerson’s specimens of Fissilia disparilis, communicated by M. de 
Jussieu, IT have found its ovarium, like that of all the species of Olax, to be 
really unilocular ; the central columnar placenta, at the top of which the three 
pendulous ovula are inserted, having no connection whatever with the sides of 
the cavity. 
It was chiefly the agreement of Olax and Santalacez in this remarkable, and 
I believe, peculiar structure of ovarium, that induced me to propose, not their 
absolute union mto one family, but their approximation in the natural series, 
I at the same time,} however, pointed out all the objections that M. de 
Jussieu has since stated to this affinity.§ 
Of these objections the two principal are the double floral envelope, and 
ovarium superum of Olax, opposed to the simple perianthium and ovarium 
inferum in Santalaceze. 
The first objection loses much of its importance, both on considering that 
* Prodr. Flor. Nov. Holl. 1, p. 357. + Nouv. Bullet. 3, p. 378. 
} Prodr. Flor. Nov. Holl.1, p. 351. Flinders’ Voy. 2, p. 570. 
§ Mém. du Mus. d Hist. Nat, 2. p. 439. 
