230 



NATUliAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



sometimes triquetrous with the edges (especially the two lateral ones) 

 pr..loiigea into thin wings. However, these wings may be thickened 

 and ])R)ject but little as in a species from New Caledonia that we 

 have hence named 0. ohtumta,' which thus affords a transition 

 between the typical Richellas and the Javanese O.ri/mitras. Besides, 

 in Ric/u'lla there may be more than two ovules in each cai-pel, for we 

 liave seen specimens whose pyriform berries contained three or 

 four seeds- when ripe (fig. 284).^ 



The smaller flowers of Mitrephora' are of the same general 

 structure. But they are easily distinguished by a very striking 



Oxymitm {Richella) Grayana. 



Fig. 285. 

 Seed. 



Fig. 284. 

 Four- seeded berry. 



Fig. 286. 

 Longitudinal section of seed. 



character, though one of little importance in itself: the tapering 

 basilar part of the petals is very long ; so that three very long and 

 slender pillars support the vault that they form high above the 



' Adansonia, viii. 178. 



- Hence we have been unable to retain the 



specific name of monosperma, for \vhich we have 



had to substitute that of Orayana. 



•' We have not been able to observe, and only 



know by description, a genus which appears very 

 nearly allied to Oxymitra and Ooniothalamus, 

 and that has been named Atrutregia (Beddome, 

 Mndr. Journ. Lilt. Sc, ser. 3, i. 37, fig. 1, ex 

 B. H., Oen., 9o7, n. 22 a). Its calyx consists of 

 four (?) small sepals, and its corolla of six valvatc 

 roriaceons petals. The three oiiter are oval 

 acuminate, and cohere around the sexual organs. 

 The indefinite stamens are surmounted by an ob- 

 tusely acuminate projection of the connective. 

 The subglobular rccoplacle also sujjports an in- 

 definite number of carpels with uuiovulate ovaries 



(ovules erect) surmounted by an elongated style 

 tapering into a two-branched terminal stigma. 

 It is a small tree from Penuisular India, with 

 the leaves glabrous, acuminate, and the flowers 

 either solitary axillary, or springing from nodes 

 which have lost their leaves. The whole 

 surface of the outer petals and the outer faces of 

 the inner ones are covered with hairs. 



* Bl., Fl. Jav., Anonac, 13, 1. 10, 11, 12, 14, 

 C, D. (sect. ZJrana).— Endl., Gen., n. 4717 a 

 ( Uvarla). — MiQ., Fl. Ind.-Bat., i. p. ii. 30 ; Ann. 

 Mus. Lttgd. Bat., ii. 27.— B. H., Oen., 26, 957, 

 n. 23. — H. Bn., Adansonia, viii. 329, 312. — 

 Fseuduva/ria MlQ., Fl. Ind.-Bat., i. p. ii. 32. — 

 Oroi^hcea MiQ., Ann. Mus. Lvyd. Bat., ii. 22, ex 

 part, (nee Bl.). 



