352 Contributions towards a Flora of Ceylon. 



when I first met with the tree, which was then only in flower : 

 now, however, that I have found it in fruit, and have exa- 

 mined the ovary with more care, I find that it must be re- 

 ferred to Olacinece, with which it agrees in every point ex- 

 cept one, which I do not find taken notice of in any of the 

 published genera belonging to this order. This anomaly is 

 the fleshy disk in which the ovary is completely immersed 

 up to the base of the style. But as in some of the genera, 

 Schcepjia for example, the torus is pretty fully developed, 

 and as it is from that organ the disk arises, it is easy to 

 suppose that in this instance a superior degree of develop- 

 ment has taken place. 



Obser. II. — Strombasia will range in Bentham's first tribe 

 Olaceae along with Olax and Schcepjia. Its nearest affinity 

 is with the latter genus, from the perfect adherence of the 

 calyx to the ovary, and the stamens being opposite the petals. 

 This latter peculiarity in these two genera is easily account- 

 ed for by supposing that the external series, which exists 

 in the other genera of the tribe, entirely suppressed. Ac- 

 cording to Bentham (Linn. Trans. 18, p. 618,) Brown 

 considers Schcepjia to be a true Santalacious genus, but 

 I believe Bentham to be more correct in referring it to 

 Olacinece, the economy of the ovary being the same, and 

 perfect adherence of the calyx is now known to exist in other 

 two genera of the order, viz. in Hypocarpus, Alph. DC. 

 (Prod. 8. p. 245,) and in a new Indian genus which will 

 shortly be published by Dr. Wight, under the name of 

 Bur sinopet alum. 



Obser. III. — From the very imperfect natural character 

 which Blume has given of the Java species, it is not easy to 

 say how far it is distinct from the Ceylon one. There is 

 only one point in which I can detect a well marked difference, 

 viz. the shape of the fruit, which in Blume's plant is said to 

 be turbinate, while in mine it is oblong. 



Kandy, Ceylon, 1 5th June, 1845. 



J 



