Neilgkerry Plants. 195 



the inside with an appendage at the base. Stamens hypogynous, 

 equal in number to the petals and opposite to them : anthers bilocu- 

 lar, the cells opening elastically with a valve from the bottom to the 

 top. Ovarium solitary, unilocular, containing 2-12 ovules, which are 

 erect, or attached laterally to the inner margin, and forming there one or 

 two rows : style sometimes lateral, short : stigma orbicular. Fruit 

 baccate or capsular, indehiscent. Albumen fleshy or horny. Embryo 

 straight, in the axis of the albumen : radicle pointing to the hilum : 

 cotyledons flat. — Leaves alternate, without stipules. — W. and A. 

 Prod. p. 15, No. I. 



The species of this genus, amounting to about 50, are nearly all 

 shrubs, or at most small trees armed either on their stems or leaves 

 with numerous thorns. In those with thorny stems the thorns are 

 considered a modified state of the leaves in which the parenchema or 

 dilated portion is displaced, and the ribs or veins have become in- 

 durated. Some Botanists propose dividing it, removing the plant here 

 figured along with some others to form the genus Mahonia, which how- 

 ever only differs in the petals wanting two glands at the base, which 

 the others have, a character considered altogether insufficient for the 

 purpose. On this account the older name is here preserved. All the 

 plants of this section of the genus are very handsome shrubs. The 

 one figured is common on the hills, and when growing in favourable 

 situations attains the size of a small tree. A pale yellow dye is ex- 

 tracted from the wood of both the Hill species, a third species be- 

 longing to the Mahonia division, with drooping racemes of flowers, 

 is, I am told, found in Coorg, and which I think I once saw on 

 the Pulney Mountains, but not then in flower. The Pulney plant 

 differs in habit from this in having diffuse rambling branches. 



Berberis (Mahonia) Lesche- As this is a true congener of 

 naultii {Wall.) — Leaves pin- Nuttal's genus Mahonia, I pre- 

 nate ; leaflets about six pair, serve that as a subgeneric or sec- 

 ovate, nearly equal in size, slight- tional name. The plant is found 

 ly cordate at the base, repand in almost every clump of jungle 

 with 6-8 thorny teeth at each about Ootacamund, flowering dur- 

 side, about 5 -nerved at the base ; ing the South-west monsoon, but 

 lower pair of leaflets close to the may generally be met with in 



