500 



RUBIACE.E. XXXVII. RANDIA. 



ceros, Lour. coch. p. 151. Posoqueria and Randia species, 

 Roxb. fl. ind. 



LIN. SYST. Pentdndria, Monogynia. Calyx with an obovate 

 tube, and a 5-lobed limb. Corolla salver-shaped, with a short 

 tube, which is hardly longer than the calycine lobes in the first 

 section, but in the second section 2 or 3 times longer, always 

 with a 5-parted limb, which is twisted in aestivation. Anthers 

 sessile within the tube of the corolla, inclosed. Stigmas 2, thick. 

 Berry nearly dry, crowned by the calyx, corticate, 2-celled. 

 Seeds many in each cell, fixed to a central placenta, wingless, 

 imbedded in the pulp, or imbricated downwards. Albumen 

 cartilaginous. Embryo straight, with a terete radicle, and orbi- 

 cular flat cotyledons. Much branched small trees or shrubs, 

 with axillary opposite or subverticillate thorns. Leaves sessile 

 or on very short petioles. Stipulas solitary on each side, some- 

 times evidently formed from 2 being combined. Flowers almost 

 sessile, usually solitary, rising from the axils of the leaves. 

 This genus is nearly allied to Posoqueria, but differs in the dry 

 fruit, and in its being truly 2-celled. 



SECT. I. OXY'CEROS (from ot/c, oxys, sharp, and xcpat, Jceras, 

 a horn ; in reference to the shrubs being furnished with sharp 

 thorns). D. C. prod. 4. p. 385. Thorny shrubs. Throat of 

 corolla not dilated. 



1. Flowers axillary, solitary, on short pedicels. 



1 R. LATIFOLIA (Lam. diet. 3. p. 24. ill. t. 156. f. 1.) branch- 

 lets glabrous ; leaves obovate, quite glabrous, almost sessile, 

 cuneated at the base ; flowers axillary, sessile, solitary, salver- 

 shaped ; tube of corolla twice the length of the calycine teeth, 

 with a pilose throat. T? . S. Native of the West India islands, 

 in arid places among bushes ; and probably of Mexico. Randia 

 aculeata, Lin. spec. p. 214. Gardenia aculeata, Ait. hort. kew. 

 Gard. Randia, Swartz, fl. ind. occ. p. 526. Browne, jam. t. 8. 

 f. 1. Sloan, hist. t. 2. f. 4. Spines axillary, opposite, spreading, 

 forming a straight angle, 4-5 lines long. Corolla white, with 

 the tube 4-5 lines long, and green. Berry the size of a small 

 cherry, white or yellow. Seeds 6-8 in each cell, surrounded by 

 pulp. Browne called this species Indigo berry, because the pulp 

 of the fruit stains paper and linen of a fine fixed blue colour. 

 The spines at the tops of the branchlets are usually solitary. 



Var. ft, mitis (D. C. prod. 4. p. 385.) the larger leaves are 

 nearly oval ; the thorns are few or wanting altogether, and the 

 flowers are fewer and larger than in the species. ^ . S. Native 

 along with the species, but in more moist situations. Randia 

 mitis, Lin. spec. 213. Gardenia Randia ft mitis, Swartz, fl. ind. 

 occ. p. 528. Gard. Randia, Sims, bot. mag. t. 1841. Sloane, 

 hist. t. 161. f. 1. Flowers white. The juice of the fruit is 

 deep blue. 



Broad-leaved Randia. Fl. May, Sept. Clt. 1733. Shrub 5 

 to 1 feet. 



2 R. OBOVA'TA (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 3. p. 409. 

 but not of Ruiz and Pav.) branchlets clothed with hairy tomen- 

 tum ; leaves obovate, glabrous ; thorns straight, spreading ; 

 flowers solitary, sessile, almost terminal ; tube of corolla twice 

 the length of the calyx, with a silky throat ? ^ . S. Native of 

 New Granada, at the mouth of the river Sinu. Flowers small, 

 white. Very like R. latifblia, but differs in the branches being 

 tomentose, and in the flowers being smaller. 



O6otn<?-leaved Randia. Shrub 5 to 8 feet. 



3 R. PUBE'SCENS (Ruiz et Pav. fl. per. 2. t. 120. f. b.) leaves 

 obovate, acute, downy ; thorns opposite, axillary, spreading, 

 much shorter than the leaves ; flowers solitary, sessile, girded at 

 the base by numerous short adpressed bracteas ; tube of corolla 

 equal in length to the calycine lobes. ^ S. Native of Peru, 



on the Andes, in hot places among broken rocks. R. obovata, 

 Ruiz et Pav. fl. per. syst. 2. p. 68. Rcem. et Schultes, syst. 5. 

 p. 246. but not of Kunth. Gardenia obovata, Dietr. Spreng. 

 Floriferous branches spinose, the rest unarmed, spreading, and 

 somewhat tetragonal ; stipulas subulate. Leaves 4-5 inches 

 long. Corolla white, twice the length of the calyx. Berry 

 pubescent, of a greyish yellow colour, crowned by the lobes of 

 the calyx, which are acuminated. 



Downy Randia. Fl. June, Aug. Clt. 1820. Shrub 5 to 6 ft. 



4 R. ROTUNDIFOLIA (Ruiz et Pav. fl. per. 2. p. 68.) thorns 

 and branches somewhat verticillate ; leaves roundish and ovate, 

 downy on both surfaces, wrinkled ; flowers solitary, sessile ; 

 corolla twice as long as the calyx. Ij . S. Native of Peru, in 

 groves about Huassa-Huassi. Gardenia rotundifolia, Dietr. ex 

 Rcem. et Schultes, syst. 5. p. 246. Stipulas ovate, acute. 

 Flowers solitary in the centre of the leaves. Corolla white. 

 Berry yellowish, 1 -celled, size of a filbert, when young villous, 



. crowned by the lobes of the calyx, which are elongated and 

 linear. Seeds compressed, imbedded in the black pulp. 



Round-leaved Randia. Fl. June, Aug. Clt. 1820. Shrub 

 6 feet. 



5 R. ECHINOCA'RPA (Moc. et Sesse, fl. mex. icon. ined. ex 

 D. C. prod. 4. p. 385.) thorns 4 in a whorl, spreading ; leaves 

 ovate, acuminated, rather villous, crowded at the tops of the 

 branches ; flowers solitary, sessrfe, almost terminal ; fruit glo- 

 bose, echinated. tj . S. Native of Mexico. Flowers white. 

 Limb of calyx 5-lobed; lobes linear- subulate. Allied to R. 

 tetracdntfia, but differs in the calyx being 5-parted, not tubular 

 and 5-toothed, and in the tube of the corolla being one-half 

 shorter. 



Hedgehog-fruited Randia. Shrub 4 to 6 feet. 



6 R. DUMETORUM (Lam. ill. t. 156. f. 4.) thorns opposite ; 

 leaves oval, bluntish, cuneated at the base, glabrous ; flowers 

 sessile, solitary, almost terminal ; limb of calyx 5-parted, with 

 oblong lobes, which are a little shorter than the corolla, which is 

 villous. T? . S. Native of the East Indies, frequent on the sea 

 shore. Cambium coronatum, Lam. diet. 1. p. 602. Gardenia 

 dumetorum, Retz, obs. 2. p. 14. Roxb. cor. t. 136. Gardenia 

 spinosa, Lin. fil. suppl. 164. Randia spinosa, Blum, bijdr. p. 

 981. Posoqueria dumetorum, Roxb. fl. ind. 2. p. 564. Gar- 

 denia spinosa, Thunb. diss. gard. no. 7. t. 2. f. 4. Ceriscus 

 Malabaricus, Geerta. fr. 1. t. 28. Pluk. t. 98. f. 6. Flowers 

 white, clothed on the outside with adpressed villi, sweet-scented. 

 Branches downy while young, but afterwards glabrous. Berry 

 almost globose, yellow, about the size of a small apple, 2-celled, 

 and crowned ; cells many seeded. This shrub is employed for 

 fences in the places of its natural growth. The fruit bruised and 

 thrown into ponds where fish are, they are soon intoxicated, and 

 seen floating. Fishermen sometimes follow this mode to enable 

 them to take the fish with more ease. They are not deemed 

 less wholesome from the effects of the fruit. Cocculus I'ndicus 

 does not grow in those parts, nor is it known or used there for 

 this purpose. 



Bush Randia. Fl. July, Sept. Clt. 1777. Shrub 6 to 10 feet. 



7 R.? ULIGINOSA (D. C. prod. 4. p. 386.) thorns almost ter- 

 minal, opposite ; branches tetragonal ; leaves oblong, somewhat 

 cuneated, glabrous ; flowers solitary, sessile, almost terminal ; 

 limb of calyx tubular, almost entire, a little shorter than the 

 tube of the corolla, which is villous in the throat. Tj . S. Native 

 of the East Indies, delighting in moist places, such as the banks 

 of rivers, low lands, &c. Gardenia uliginosa, Retz, obs. 2. p. 

 14. Roxb. cor. t. 135. Posoqueria uliginosa, Roxb. fl. ind. 2. 

 p. 563. Thorns 1-2-3 or 4 at the extremities of the branchlets. 

 Leaves 2-3 inches long, and 1-J broad. Flowers 1-2 or 3 at the 

 tops of the branchlets, large, white, and fragrant. Berry size 

 and shape of a pullet's egg, ash coloured, or olive grey, 2-celled. 



1 



