Botany of the Tenasserim Provinces. 83 



alis filiformis stamina excedens. Stigma obtusum fere sub- 

 capitatum medio sulcatum. Ovulum ascendens funiculo brevi 

 sublaterali sustenso ; foramen hilum prope fundum loculi 

 versus spectans. Fructus nondum visus. 



Of this very distinct genus I believe two species exist in 

 my collection : the above description and the drawings refers 

 to S. elegans, Wall, which appears to be a shrub. Its num- 

 ber is 675. The other is a considerable sized tree, with much 

 fewer flowers. 



Nothing can be more apt to mislead young botanists than 

 the statement that Anacardiaceas are perigynous. In all the 

 genera I have examined, viz. Anacardium, Mangifera, Syn- 

 desmis, and Melanorrhaea, they are essentially hypogynous, 

 and the type of this formation is easily traceable from those, 

 in which the hypogynous insertion is least evident, up to 

 Melanorrhaea, in which it is most evident. I am aware that 

 Mr. Brown is of opinion, that the perigynous insertion of the 

 stamina may be admitted in doubtful cases from analogy. 

 " This reasoning being founded on the existence of a (then) 

 unpublished genus Holigarna ? with an inferior ovarium." 

 This genus is still, I believe, a solitary exception, and with 

 the utmost deference to the opinion of Mr. Brown, I should 

 think that three instances (Melanorrhaea, Syndesmis, Swin- 

 tonia,) of undoubted hypogynous insertion are worth more 

 than one of perigynous. I subjoin a list of this order which 

 I have found to be, natives of the Tenasserim Provinces. 



Mangifera indica, Linn. 



sylvatica, Roxb. MerguL 



oppositifolia, Mergui. 1 Now Bouea, 



Cambessedea, Wight and Arnt. J Meisner. 



Anacardium occidentale. 



Syndesmis elegans, Wall. Mergui. 



Swintonia floribundum, Mergui. 



Melanorrhaea glabra, Wall. Mergui. 



visitata, Moulmein. 



Holigarna longifolia, Martaban. 



