358 Mr. CoLEBROOKE 01} Boszs^ellia 



pulpy, going to pieces when dry, but not opening by deter- 

 minate valves : they contain, in one or more cells, solitary 

 seeds; or, if all the ovules ripen, two, or possibly sometimes 

 three in each cell. In fact, throughout this family the fruit is a 

 berry, in which the natural number of cells, containing two, or 

 sometimes three ovules, agrees with that of the petals and caly- 

 cine divisions [sepaln), and corresponds to twice as many stamina. 

 Exceptions are to be admitted, if the plants have been rightly 

 classed and described; for A. aciaiiinata and A. simpUcifoUa of 

 Roxburgh, in which the germ exhibits but two cells, and A. Zey- 

 lanica of Retzius, in vvhich osseous seeds coalesce and present a 

 trilocular nut. But all three should perhaps, on account of 

 these deviations from the natural structure, be removed from 

 their present place to other genera. 



The staminiferous ring around the germ, whicli was assumed 

 for a distinctive mark of the Icica as a separate genus, is not 

 more characteristic according to Willdenow* : for it is found, 

 more or less conspicuous, in divers species of Amyris, as it like- 

 wise is in those of Buvscra : and the insertion of stamina, as well 

 as petals, in it, is an important character pervading the whole 

 family. 



In truth, as long ago remarkedt, the three genera Aniyrh, 

 Icica, and Bursera, require to be thrown together and re-cast. 

 The whole group comprises nearly forty species, including seve- 

 ral yet unpublished ; and is likely to receive further accessions. 

 It may be expected to become unwieldy for a single genus ; and 

 it actually comprehends plants which do not assort well together. 

 It should therefore be subdivided, and moulded anew into distinct 

 genera. But for this purpose much the greater part of the spe- 

 cies requires re-examination, with a view to the distribution of 

 them by truly discriminative marks. 



* Sp. Plant, ii. S38. f Juss. Gen. PL 371. Lam. Enc. ii. 708. 



If 



