Bhodokia.] hamamelidEjE. 131 



1. RHODOLBIA, Hook. 



Flowers about 5 together, united in a compaot head, haviag the appear- 

 ance of a single flpwr surrounded by many imbricated bracts. Calyx adherent, 

 the limb forming a narrow rim round the middle of the ovary. Petals 2 to 4 

 to each flower, all turned to the cirgumference of the head, those of the inner 

 side of each flower deficient. Stamens 7 to 10, the innermost of each flower 

 deficient ; filaments bng. Anthers linear, opening in longitudinal slits, with- 

 out any prominent connective. Ovary half-inferior, consisting of 2 carpels 

 united at the base into a 1- celled ovary, and more or les^ free and divergent 

 at the top, with distinct styles aud small stigmas. Placentas parietal, with 

 several ovules to each, in 3 rows. Eipe carpejs opening at the top iu 3 bifid 

 valves. 



Besides the following species there is one other one iiaai Java. 



1. R. Championi, Mook. Sot. Mag. t. 4509, A. smaU tree, perfectly 

 glabrous except the flower-heads. Leaves alternate, crowded at the extremity 

 of the branches on petioles of 1\ to 3 in. long, evergreen, ovate or oblong, 

 obtuse or obtusely acuminate, 4 to 5 in. long, quite entire, thickly coriaceous, 

 shining above, glaucous underneath, PJower-heada, iucluding the petals, 

 about li in. diameter, on very' short recurved axillary peduncles. Each 

 head surrounded by several rows of imbricate bracts, the outer ones very 

 small and glabrous, gradually increasing to the ionermost, which are near |- 

 in. diameter, coloured and rusty-hairy outside. Petals about i in. long, 

 bright pink, varying in breadth, ajid from 15 to 30 to each flpwer-head, 

 giving it the appearance of a semi-double Camellia. 



Hongkong, Champion and others. Not found as yet put of the island. 

 Admitting the general accuracy of the elaborate description of this genus given by Miquel 

 n^ersl. sn Mededel. der K. Aiad. Wetensch. Naturk. vi. 132), I cannot concur with him iu 

 his approximation to Diosmea instead of Hamamelidea. The perigynous, almost epigynous, 

 insertion of the petals and stamens is very decided, forming a ring at the base of the short 

 limb of the calyx, round the adherent or semi-inferior ovary, on a levd with the top of the 

 pvule-bearing cavity, whilst in the whole Butaceous group the stamens and petals are es- 

 sentially hypogynous, and the whole ovary perfectly free, and even gynobasic. If in Rko- 

 doleia Teysmanni^ which Miquel seems more especially to have had in view, and which I 

 have not examined, the ovary be only enclosed in, not actually adherent to the calyx-tube, 

 still the petals and stamens are inserted at the summit of that tube, not on the torus, and I 

 caimot conceive that a careful comparison of Bhodoleia with Bueklandia can leave any 

 doubt as to these two genera being closely allied to each other iu one and the same family. 



%, IiIQITISAMBAB, Linn. 



Flowers tmisexual, iu separate compact heads, with 1 to 4 very deciduous 

 bracts at the base of each head. Male heads ovoid or oblong, with numerous 

 almost sessile anthers, without any perianth. Female heads globular. Calyx 

 adherent, with a narrow sinuate or shortly lobed border. Petals none. Ovary 

 half-inferior, 3-celled, with several ovules in each, on axile placentas. Styles 

 3, linear, spreading. Capsules opening at the top in 3 valves. — Trees. Leaves 

 serrate or palmately lobed. Flower-heads in racemes ; the upper ones all 

 male, the lowermost one female. 



A genus of very few species, one North American, the others Asiatic. 



E 3 



