64 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



near tlie base; bracts minute, narrowed upwards; flowers comparatively 

 large; petals very narrow towards the middle; anthers linear; stigma 

 elongated, very thin; hypogynous scales annular-connate; fruit almost 

 oblique-ovate. 



Near Soyere; H. O. Forbes (343, 387, 678, 723, 799.) 

 A slight appressed brown or greyish indument only on the 

 youngest branches and scantily on the inflorescene. Leaves scattered, 

 attaining a length of nine and a breadth of tliree inches, seldom 

 remotely denticulated. Petioles sometimes almost obliterated, but 

 occasionally over half an inch long, neither page shining in a dried 

 state, the lower less green: the apex o'ftener blunt than acute; veins 

 reticulated, rather conspicuous; v'einlets subtle. Racemes on 

 short peduncles, measuring in length from four to six inches. 

 Pedicels ^-^ inch long. Petals f-1 inch long; the terminal 

 portion much broader than the lower one; the color not recognisable 

 in the dried state of the flowers Apex of the connective blunt, con- 

 siderably extending beyond the anther-cells. Stigma very slender, of 

 about ^ the length of the style, somewhat streaked Hypogynous 

 disk almost patellar, more or less crenulated. Fruit only seen in an 

 immature state, then hardly half an inch long, and covered by a 

 liglit-brown pellicle. 



This species comes nearest to H oblongifolia, the differences of 

 the latter plant consisting in the rather blunt leaf-base, somewhat 

 shorter pedicels, more denticulated hypogynous disk and perhaps 

 also color of flowers as well as shape anil size of ripe fruit, bocause 

 from the latter characteristic important specific distinctions can be 

 derived in this genus also, ns elicited from Australian experiences 

 particularly. All other known species show lesser affinity. 



The indefatigable phytologic explorer, Rev. B. Scortechini, has 

 sent me two species of Helicia from Perak; both are uiulescribed; 

 but as they likely will come under roview for the fifth volume of Sir 

 Joseph Hooker's Flora of British India, they are left here unattended 

 to; — one lias long petioles, and lanceolar rigid entire leaves 

 fhining above, soon glaucous underneath, the flowers being small, 

 brown-velvety outside and forming short spicate racemes; — the 

 other species has large thin lanceolar-ovate almost sessile leaves 

 without denticulations, the racemes being remarkably short in pro- 

 portion to the leaves and glabrous, the pedicels almost free, the 

 style very many times longer than the stigma and the hypogynous 

 scales connate. Of neither species the ripe fruit could be obtained, 

 both probably form trees of some size in that damp and hot region. 

 The charactei-istics of the bark of these plants are worthy of study. 

 The presence or absence of denticulations of the leaves should no 

 longer be used as a primary mark of distinction for the species in 

 this genus. "- 



