188 Royle's Illustrations of the Himalayas. 



many apparent, and, perhaps, some real, exceptions; but most 

 of these, we think, arise from species being assigned to genera 

 which ought to be separated from them, and form genera of 

 themselves. Time, and the vigorous prosecution of the study of 

 the affinities of plants, which is now going on among botanists, 

 will determine this. If unity of organic structure be necessary 

 to constitute unity of family, it is difficult to conceive how there 

 should be any great diversity of constitution in that family. 



There is a species of /iex (i^lex dipyrena), common in the 

 Himalayas, which bears a very great resemblance to the British 

 holly, especially when covered with its clusters of scarlet berries 

 in November and December. Mr. Royle also mentions /. ex- 

 celsior and I. serrata, both " lofty species." Would that we 

 had them here ! 



" Of the Ilicineae, the holly is well known to be employed for making bird- 

 lime, as some of the figs are in India ; and the genus is remarkable for con- 

 taining the Ilex paraguaiensis, or mate tree, which produces the famous 

 Paraguay tea, now an article of considerable South American commerce, for 

 which, if it were thought desirable, a suitable locality might no doubt be found 

 within the Indian tt;rritories. The Ilex vomitoria is considered to be tonic, 

 inebriating, and, in larger doses, emetic ; while Prinos verticillatus is ac- 

 counted, in North America, a powerful febrifuge." 



'Rhamnece " are found in almost every part of the globe within 

 the temperate and equinoctial zones ; and the different genera 

 affect respectively cool and warm situations." 2izyphus is a 

 tender genus. Ceanothus formerly contained tender and hardy 

 plants ; but the former have lately been separated from it. Of 

 this genus there are two Nepal species. Hove^im dulcis is found 

 at 6500 ft. of elevation. Several species of i^hamnus and of 

 Paliurus are natives of the Himalayas, and there can be no 

 doubt but they would bear the open air in Britain. 



T^erehinthdcece. — The mango thrives as high as 4000 ft. on 

 the Himalaya range ; but does not ripen its fruit, Sdbia, a new 

 genus found in Nepal, grows at a considerable elevation in the 

 mountains ; and there are severals pecies of Rhus which are very 

 common there. All of these, no doubt, would grow in the open 

 air in England. 



The plates which accompany this work are most beautifully 

 engraved and coloured. We cannot close the book without ex- 

 pressing our ardent wish that botanic gardens were formed in 

 all countries, for the mutual exchange of seeds and plants. As 

 the mass of society becomes more and more enlightened, the 

 people will force this subject on the attention of their respective 

 governments. Half the money now thrown away on pro Jbrma 

 ambassadors would establish and support botanic gardens all over 

 the world ; and the other half would be quite sufficient to pay 

 working ambassadors, who would do the duties required of the 

 office much better than the present ones, with very few ex- 

 ceptions. 



