Plate 2569. 



BASSIA THURSTONII, Hemsl. 



Sapotace.e. 



B. Thurstonii, Hemsl. (sp. nov.) ; inter species polynesiacas foliis 

 amplis, floribus magnis distincta. 



Arbor ramulis lloriferis crassissimis. Folia ad apices ramulorum 

 conferta, distincte petiolata, valde coriacea, obovato-lanceolata, 5-10 

 poll, longa, apice rotundata, basi cuneata, supra glabra vel cito 

 glabrescentia, subtus ferrugineo-toraentosa, venis primariis lateralibus 

 utrinque circiter 15-17 subtus elevatis. Flores numerosi, fasciculati, 

 atque pedunculi circiter pollicares ferrugineo-tomentosi, quam pedun- 

 culi paullo breviores. Sepala 4, crassissima, ovato-rotundata. Corolla 

 alte 8-lobata, lobis obovato-spathulatis intus infra medium pilosis. 

 Stamina circiter 40, filamentis valde pilosis. Ovarium glabrum, 4- 

 loculare, stylo breviter exserto. Fructus ignotus. 



Fiji : without locality, but probably from the island of Suva, 

 Thurston. 



The late Sir John Bates Thurston sent the specimens, from which 

 this drawing was made, to Kew, in 1895, together with the testa of a 

 seed of a species of Chelonesperrnutr^ probably C. unguiculatum, 

 Hemsl., on the supposition that they were from the same tree. It was 

 at first taken for granted that the seed and flowering branches were 

 of the same species ; but further investigation gives rise to great doubt 

 on this point, as the floral structure is quite different from that of C. 

 majus, Hemsl., the only species of which the flowers are known with 

 certainty — at least, the only one of which flowering specimens and 

 fruit were received together. Further material, however, is required 

 before the genus can be satisfactorily defined. With regard to the 

 retention of the generic appellation Bassia in preference to the more 

 recently adopted Illipe y the latter was simply given in the place cited 

 (Linn. Mant. ii. App. p. 563) as a native name, i.e. "Illippe Malabaro- 

 rum." — W. Botting Hemsley. 



Fig. 1, part of corolla and stamens, one abnormal ; 2, hairs from the inside of the 

 corolla and filaments; 3, a petal; 4, anthers; 5, vertical section of ovary; 6, cross 

 section of ovary. All enlarged. 



