Contributions towards a Flora of Ceylon. 5 



specimens of the latter from Malacca, which I owe to the 

 kindness of the late Mr. Griffith, and which perfectly accord 

 with the figure of Rumph. (Amb. 7, t. 2.) In that species the 

 leaves are comparatively very small, and the fruit ovate, and 

 much acuminated. Dr. Wight in a more recent publication 

 (Spicil. Neilgh. 1. p. 27) states, that he now believes the 

 Ceylon tree to be identical with the Mesua speciosa of 

 Choisy, a native of the Neilgherries, where I had the pleasure 

 of collecting specimens along with Dr. Wight in February 

 1845. A comparison of those specimens with Ceylon ones 

 has enabled me to determine, that the trees are distinct. 

 The latter differs in having leaves which are broader in pro- 

 portion to their length, obtuse at the base, and with an 

 obtuse, not acute, acumen. The pedicels are more than 

 twice shorter than the petioles, while in Mesua speciosa they 

 are about equal to them in length. In the latter the calycine 

 segments are covered with a short tomentum, while in the 

 present species they are only slightly puberulous. Although 

 the flowers are about the same size in both species; the 

 anthers of the Neilgherry one are twice as large as the 

 Ceylon ones, and the capsule about three times larger, and 

 ovate, acute, not globose, depressed, 



The tree is a very handsome one, and is one of those 

 usually planted near Budhist temples. The wood is very 

 hard, hence the English name. The young leaves give it a 

 very striking appearance at certain seasons, being of a bright- 

 blood colour. The flowers are not unlike those of some large 

 Cistus, and, as in that genus, the petals are very fugaceous. 



ORD. NAT. ROSACEA. 



Rubus fairholmianus, Gardn. 



R. scandens fruticosus, ramis teretibus petiolis pedunculis- 



que dense cinereo-tomentosis sparse aculeatis, aculeis de- 



flexis vix curvatis, foliis coriaceis late ovatis basi cordatis 



5-lobis margine minute denticulatis supra rugosis glabriusculis 



