Kadsura.] flora indica. 83 



Semina superposita, reniformia, in pulpa nidulantia ; testa Isevis, Crus- 

 tacea ; albumen copiosum, oleosum ; embryo minutissimus. — Frutices 

 Bcandentes, voluUks, glaberrimi, ramulis elongatis, junioribus basi squa- 

 mis gemma persistentibus dipatis, foliis integris integerrimis vel denialis, 

 floribus^fe* minus consjneue pellucide punctaiis. 



We have only been deterred from following Asa Gray in considering this small 

 group as a section oi Magnoliacea, by the unisexual flowers and marked difference ia 

 habit, and in particular by the frequently toothed leaves. Its position is undoubtedly 

 in the immediate neighbourhood of Magnoliacem, between that Order and Anonacece, 

 to certain genera of which (especially Stelechocarpus) the aspect of the flowers, and 

 the occasionaBy truncal inflorescence, indicate a certain degree of approach. 



The family is a very small one. One species inhabits damp woods in the southern 

 United States of America, and the remainder the Indo-Chinese region, from Japan 

 to the Malayan Archipelago, Ceylon and Malabar, and the Himalaya. The leaves 

 and flowers are mucilaginous, the fruit and seeds faintly aromatic, and the woody fibre 

 exhibits glandular disks similar to those of IlHcium and Drimys. 



The structure of the andrcecium, which is the most conspicuous character of the 

 plants of this Order, is nevertheless only of importance for the distinction of species, 

 as those plants which are most closely allied, differ very remarkably from one another 

 in the degree of combination of the filaments. Schizandra, with five monadclpho'is 

 stamens, is, however, a good genus. The shape of the fruit, on the contrary, is, we 

 think, a natural character, dividing this small Order into two well-marked groups, 

 which, in accordance with the views of Blume in his monograph of the Javanese 

 species, we regai-d as of generic value. Of these, Kadmra, with globose fruit, con- 

 tains the original species of Japan, and several others ; while Sphcerostema, with the 

 baccate carpels arranged on an elongated torus, extends from the "Western Himalaya 

 to Java. 



1. KADSURA, Juss. 



Sarcocarpon, Blume. 



Sepala 3. Fetala 6-9. Stamina 15 vel plura. Mlamenta discreta 



vel in globum coalita. Ovaria numerosa. Stylus obconicus, lateralis. 



Carpella baccata, inter se libera, capitulum globosum formantia. — 



Frutices scandentes, mucilaginosi, floribus albis vel rubescetitibus. - 



1. K. Roxburghiana (Am. in Jard. Mag. Zool. Bot. ii. 546) ; 

 foliis ovatis vel oblongis carnosulis, filamentis monadelphis, ovariis bi- 

 ovulatis. — Kadsura Japonica, Wall. Tent. Nap. 12 {non Juss. necalior.). 

 Cat. 4987 A ! B partim ! (specim. dextr.) 4985 B ! Uvaria heteroclita, 

 Roxb. M. Ind. ii. 663. 



Hab. In Assam ! et Silhet ! ; in montibus Khasia a basi ad altitudi- 

 nem 5000 ped.! ; et in vallibus ealidioribus Sikkim ! — (Fl. Mai. Jun.) 

 {v. V.) 



Frutex alte scandens, trunco diametro poUicari et ultra. Cortex rugosus. Hamuli 

 Iffives, annulati, basi interdum squamis stipati. Folia cum caule articulata, acuta vel 

 acuminata, integerrima vel remote et obscure denticulata, 3-6 poll, longa, 1^3 lata, 

 petiolo -^-poll. Pedunculi petiolum duplo superantes, crassiusculi, basi squamulis 

 gemmaceis persistentibus suffulti, et infra medium braeteas 4-6 ovatas minutas ge- 

 rentes. Flares diametro semipoUicares. Sepala rotundata. Fetala rotundata, 

 convexa, carnosula, interiora minora. Filamenta basi in columnam centralem cy- 

 lindricam coalita ; exteriora pauca, superne breviter libera, crassa, cylindrica, apice 

 in connectivum carnosum late cuneatum subtruncatum dilatata ; superiora usque ad 



