292 LAURlNEiE. [Alseodaphne. 



of the pedicel. — Trees, with alternate pinnately veined leaves. Inflorescence 

 of Cinnamomum. Outer segments of the perianth usually shorter than the 

 inner ones. 



A small tropical Asiatic genus. 



Leaves 2 or 3 in. long. Perianth-segments oblong-lanceolate, 2 lines 



long 1. A. chinensis. 



Leaves H to 2 in. long. Perianth-segments ovate, very obtuse, 1 to H 



lines long 2. A. breviflora. 



1. A. chinensis, Champ, in Kew Journ. Bot. v. 198. A glabrous tree. 

 Leaves from obovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or shortly acuminate, 

 2 to 3, or rarely near 4 in. long, narrowed into a petiole of 3 to 6 lines, cori- 

 aceous, slightly glaucous or rust-coloured underneath when diy. Leaf-buds 

 very small, glabrous or pubescent. Peduncles terminal, 2 or 3 together, much 

 shorter than the leaves, each bearing a short panicle of 6 to 10 flowers. Pe- 

 rianth-segments oblong-lanceolate, hairy inside at the base ; the inner ones 2 

 lines long, the outer shorter. Glands of the inner fertile stamens nearly 

 sessile. Staminodia hairy. Berry globular. 



In the Happy Valley woods, Champion, Wilford. Not known from elsewhere. 



2. A. breviflora, Benth., n. sp. Yery near the last, but more glaucous. 

 Leaves narrower, scarcely 2 in. long, on very short petioles. Peduncles more 

 numerous, \ to 1 in. long ; the panicles almost contracted to umbels. Flowers 

 much smaller ; the perianth-segments broadly ovate, very obtuse ; the inner 

 ones about 1J lines, the outer 1 line long. 



Hongkong, Wright. I have seen no other specimen. 



5. TETRANTHERA, Jacq. 



Flowers usually dioecious. Perianth either of 6 deciduous segments, or 

 reduced to a few small petal-like scales, or none at all. Stamens 9, all fertile, 

 or sometimes, when the perianth is deficient, 12 to 15. Anthers 4-celled, all 

 opening inwards ; the 3 inner stamens, or sometimes more, with 2 glands at 

 the base of the filaments. Staminodia none. Berry seated on the flat and 

 often somewhat enlarged base of the perianth. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves al- 

 ternate, evergreen or deciduous, pinnately veined. Flowers in little heads or 

 umbels, in a calyx-like involucre of 4 to 6 broad concave imbricate bracts ; the 

 involucres umbellate, or in little racemes or clusters in the axils of the leaves, 

 or at the leafless nodes of the previous year's wood. 



A large genus, chiefly Asiatic, tropical or subtropical, with a very few western American 

 species. 



Young branches and under side of the leaves pubescent or hoary. Leaves 

 evergreen, obovate or broadly oblong. 



Perianth-segments 6. Involucres in dense sessile clusters . . . . 1. T. monopetala. 



Perianth none. Involucres umbellate, on a common peduncle . .. 2. T. citrifolia. 

 Branches and leaves glabrous. Leaves deciduous, oblong-lanceolate . . 3. T. polyantha. 



1. T. monopetala, Roxb. ; PI. Corom. t. 148; Nees, Syst. Laur. 525. 

 A small tree ; the young shoots, under side of the leaves, and inflorescence 

 softly pubescent. Leaves evergreen, from broadly-ovate or obovate to oval- 

 oblong, 3 to 5 in. long, very obtuse or rarely shortly acuminate. Involucres 

 scarcely above 2 lines diameter before opening, on pedicels of 2 to 4 lines, in 



