106 eosagejE. [Spiresa. 



Mauritius specimens seen in herbaria are evidently from the. botanic garden of that island, 

 having been introduced from the Calcutta garden. It is very characteristicaJly described 

 ■both by Loureiro and by Poiret, but Cambessedes in his monograph gave a figure ot a pJant 

 quite different in foliage and iniiorescence, whence Seringe took his diagnoses for De Candolle s 

 Prodi-omus. It is this erroneous character that misled Lindley as to the supposed non- 

 identity of the plant, with. Poiret's and Loureiro's, and induced him to describe it as new. 



4. BOSA, Linn. 



Calyx-tube globular or ovoid, enclosing the ovary, contracted towards the 

 top ; the Kmb divided into 5 segments, often unequal and sometimes lobed. 

 Petals 5. Stamens numerous. Ovai-y of several distinct carpels, enclosed in 

 the calyx-tube, with 1 suspended ovule in each ; the styles protruding from the 

 tube, and occasionally united. When in fruit the carpels become diy, hairy, 

 1 -seeded achenes, enclosed in the more or less succulent calyx-tube, and some- 

 times suiTounded by pulp, the whole forming a rather dry red or black berry. 

 Erect, scrambling, or climbing shrubs, more or less prickly. Leaves pinnate. 

 Stipules leafy, adhering to the petiole. Flowers showy, terminal, either soKtary 

 or in small corymbs or panicles. 



A beautifiil genus, widely diffused over the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, 

 but scarcely penetrating into the tropics, except in mountain districts. 



Flowers solitary. Leaflets 3 . . .... 1. 22. sinica. 



Mowers several, in corymbs. Leaflets 7 or 5. 



Flowers white, middle sized. Calyx^seginents narrow, one or more 



usually lobed . 2. iJ. mosohata. 



Flowers small, pink. CaJyx-segments short, entire 3. iJ. muUifiora. 



1. R. sinica. Ait. Sort. Kew. ed. 3 ; Lindl. Monogr. and Bot. Reg. 

 t. 1932. Stems climbing, glabrous, as well as the leaves, with a few distant 

 hooked prickles. Leaflets always 3 in the wild specimens, ovate, stalked, 

 slightly serrate, the terminal one 1 to li in. long, cuneate or rounded at the 

 base, the lateral ones rather smaller. Flowers solitary at the ends of the 

 lateral shoots, large, and of a pure white. Peduncles and ovaiies thickly 

 covered with straight prickles or bristles. Calyx-lobes downy or cottony, 

 with long points, all or some of them expanding into small oblong leafy tips. 

 Fruit globular. — R. nivea, DC. Prod. ii. 599. 



Hongkong, Harland. Appears to be conflned to China. Alton's name would have the 

 priority over De Candolle's, even should it be shown that he was mistaken in identifying it 

 with the R. sinica of Linnseus ; for if the latter is not this plant, it merges in his R. indica. 

 Linnaius' character applies better to the present species. The specimen in his herbarium 

 is a poor fragment from lacquin, and nanoh resembling the flgure in that author's ' Observa- 

 tiones,' and apparently a garden specimen of R. indica in a starved state. 



2. R. moschata. Mill. ; DO. Prod. ii. 598 ; Bot. Reg. t. 839. An erect 

 or half-climbing tall-gi-owing. shrub, glabrous or pubescent on the young shoots 

 and under side. of the leaves, with a few stout recurved prickles. Leaflets 5 

 or 7, nearly sessile, oblong acuminate acute, and often 1^ to 2 in. long in the 

 north Indian specimens ; much shorter, ovate, obtuse or almost orbieulai- in 

 the Hongkong one. Flowers white, not large, in terminal corymbs. Pedun- 

 cles f to 1 in. long, slender, usually pubescent or sometimes glandular, but 

 without bristles or prickles. Ovary smaU, ovoid. Calyx-lobes naiTow, with 



long points, and occasionally with 1 or 2 lateral lobes on one or both sides. 



R. Brunonis, Lindl. ; DC. 1. c. 



