Ax\D OF THE PPIYSICAL SCIENCES. 



51 



BOTANY. 



BRUGMANSIA ZIPPELII. 



This singular plant is nearly allied to the Genus Patma, of which we have alreaJv 

 illustrated two species in our former Numbers, Like them it is a parasite, and has 

 hitherto been found only in the Island of Java. It was discovered on the mountain 

 Salax, growing at the height of 1200 to 1500 feet above the level of the sea. This 

 mountain lies in the province of Buitenzorg, on the west of Java, and it almost seems, 

 from the singularity of its vegetable productions, as well as the marked volcanic 

 character of its minerals, to be the favorite shrine both of Flora and Vulcan. 



The Genus Brugmansia was constituted by Persoon; but Blume first included this 

 Plant under that denomination. The characters which he aF5';;ned to the Genus 

 Brugmansia are the following: — Perianth with one leaf; the crown of the throat 

 interrupted; limb five-parted; segments or partitions twice or thrice cleft; tha 

 estivation valvate induplicate ; the central column, sub^lobo^r, l-.c/llowed above and 

 naked; anthers monadelphous, two-celled, opening by two pores. 



This Plant, when it first bursts from the roots of its parent tree, exhibits merely 

 a small tubercle or bud ; as it gradually expands, it assumes the different appearances 

 represented above, until finally it acquires the utmost extent of its growth, which is 

 limited in these remarkable parasites to a simple development of their reproductive 

 organs, or mere blowing of the flower. Just before its ultimate expansion it has the 

 following appearance. 



The root upon which it grows, or rather blows, belongs to the Clssus tuherculata 

 of Blume — a tree very plentiful in the moist woods on the south-west of Mount 

 Salax. The Brugmansia Zippelii is stated to have the property of being remarkably 

 styptical ; its specific name Zippelii was given in compliment to the individual who 

 first discovered this curious vegetable production. 



THE GUIJANO TEA PLANT. 



"We are indebted to M. Bonpland for the important information, that South America 

 contains a plant capable of affording a beverage very much resembling the common 

 tea of China. It is found in the neighbourhood of Popayan. The inhabitants of 

 this town make an infusion of its leaves, which have all the properties of Tea, and 

 may be appUed to the same purpose. BI. Guijano, a distinguished citizen of that 

 place, was the discoverer. Perceiving a great analogy between the leaves of this 

 Melastoma and the common Tea-leaves, he at first thought that his country possessed 

 the real Chinese Tea. He immediately gathered a great quantity of its leaves, and 

 prepared them in the same manner as the Chinese Bohea {Camellia hohea). On 

 making the infusion, he at once perceived that the plant under examination was not 

 that of China, but at the same time he ascertained that it could be employed for the 

 same purposes, and would answer equally well in most cases. " We have often 

 drunk with pleasure," says M. Bonpland, '* the infusion of the Melastoma Theezans. 

 It has the colour of Tea, and is much less astringent, but more aromatic. Many 

 persons would doubtless prefer this drink to Tea, and I think it will be found as 

 useful in most cases. The Melastoma Tea would thrive very well at Toulon, at the 

 Hyeres, and other southern countries which enjoy a mild temperature." At a time 

 when our commercial relations with China stand on a very precarious footing, this 

 fact is well worthy the attention of our enterprising countrymen. The Melastoma 

 Theezans is a shrub from 12 to 15 feet high; smooth in all its parts; its leaves are 

 from three to four inches long, oval, and slightly petiolated, of a fine green above, 

 paler below, slightly dentated, and with five nerves. The flowers are white, and 

 exhale during the night a very pleasing odour. They are disposed in a terminal 

 pannicle, are small, numerous, and sessile. The limb of the calyx is membraneous. 



with five small short teeth; the petals of the game length as the calyx; the filaments 

 articulated in the middle, compressed, membraneous in the lower part, and charged 

 towards the summit with a very small tubercle; the anthers are wedge-shaped; the 

 ovary almost free; the stigmata flattened. It has a spherical berry, blue when ripe, 

 crowned by the teeth of the calyx, and having three many-seeded cells. Further de- 

 tails regarding this plant may be seen in Bonpland, 1. c. p. 17, t. 9. 



GEOLOGY. 



On a singular detached Block of Stone occltying the Summit of a 

 Hill at Dunkeld. — Those who are acquainted with the natural history of Corn- 

 wall, cannot fail to recollect the theory of Dr Borlase, respectin<r detached blocks of 

 granite so conspicuous in that country. The Doctor's notions, however, were not 

 exclusively his own, as other antiquaries, over whose judgments the absurdities of the 

 druidical worship seem to have shed their influence, have imagined these and similar 

 appearances to be monuments of that superstition or religious government, all our 

 knowledge of which is comprised in a very few casual hints contained in the Roman 

 historians. The recent increase of attention to natural history, and more particularly 

 to geological investigation, has, however, put to flight all these visions, and left us at 

 no loss to distinguish betwixt the appearances pruduced by the eflTorts of art and 

 design, and those which have resulted from the ordinary operations of Nature. 

 Whatever interest, in a historical view, these phenomena may therefore have lost, 

 they );ave gained a countervaiUng one in natural objects; in many cases illustratmj:, 

 either in a curious or useful manner, the changes which time is daily, but slowly, 

 making on the surface of the earth. 



In Scotland, as in CornwaU, antiquaries have not been wanting, who were ready 

 to atlribute some of these remarkable natural appearances to a Druidical origin; 

 and among these may be enumerated the Rocking Stone in Strathairdlc, which lias 

 furnished a page to some of the writers of the day. The Rock, of which the follow- 

 ing is a sketch, has also been called a Cromlech, which it resembles in the peculiarity 

 of its position: — 



But we can have no scruple in admitting it as an example, and a peculiar one at 

 the same time, of those transported stones often found occupying situations sc 

 unexpected, as to render an explanation of the course which they have taken a matter 

 of no small difficulty. 



This rock occupies the summit of a hill near Dunkeld, in Perthshire, known by 

 the name of Craig-y-bams (the Serrated Rock). Its shape is so irregular, that it 

 cannot be described, but the above cut will supersede the necessity of saying any 

 thing on this part of the subject. The same irregularity renders it difficult to form 

 an accurate notion of its weight, but it probably exceeds fifty tons; a judgment 

 founded on comparing it with other stones of known weights resembling it in shape. 

 The greatest length is twelve feet, and the greatest thickness five, from which cir- 

 cumstances, with the aid of the cut, a sufficiently accurate notion of its form and di- 

 mensions may be conveyed. 



From the above figure, it will be seen that the lower flat surface is supported on 

 three loose stones ; and in this circumstance consists that resemblance to a Crom- 

 lech,* which has led to the unfounded notion of its druidical and artificial origin. 

 These loose stones also he at hberty on a fiat and sohd surface of rock; a circum- 

 stance which adds much to the appearance of artifice. 



It is now necessary to remark, that this rock, as well as the supporters, consists 

 of the same materials as the hill on which they rest, which is micaceous schist. It 

 is indeed from this circumstance alone that is derived the proof of its not lying in its 

 native place ; but of its having, on the contrary, been moved to its present position, 

 together with the stones by which it is supported. On examining the direction of 

 the laminEE in all these pieces, it is easy to see that they all lie in tUfFerent ways, , 

 and all different from that of the laminar structure of the sohd rock on which 4' 

 they repose. Hence, it is evident that the large block has been placed on the three )i,i 

 loose stones which Ue on the sohd rock ; exhibiting an appearance, it is true, of arti- 

 fice, as perfect as if it had been the result of the hand of man, though really an acci- 

 dental operation of Nature. 



In accounting for it, however, by natural causes, there seems no reason to doubt 

 that the whole is the result of the accidental fall, or transportation of the larger mass, 

 combined with some posterior circumstances of waste. Originally it had probably 

 been deposited on a bed of loose materials, the smaller of which have disappeared, 

 leaving those three only which were essential to its support, and have been retained 

 by its pressure. 



• Cromlechs in British antiquities are huge, broad, flat stones, lying upon other 

 stones set upon end. Mr Rowland and Dr Borlase describe them as altars. They 

 have also been considered as originally tombs ; but that, in after times, sacrifices were 

 performed upon them to the heroes deposited within. King Herod is said to have 

 been buried in a monument of this kind in Denmark; and Mr Wiight discovered a 

 skeleton beneath one in Ireland. 



