Ix 



LETTERS OP WILLIAM GRIFFITH. 



the end of my period of service in India, or until I can safely go 

 home. Few people believe it ; but I return to Malacca with plea- 

 sure. After the Gardens, it is the best place to be at. What family 

 will you next take up ? I will send you all my materials ; work them up 

 in English by all means. All works on Indian Botany should at least 

 have the descriptions in English, that being now the classic language 

 of the land. Why not Euphorbiacese, it is a most instructive family, 

 and one of which we have no well investigated materials. Or you 

 might go over Myrtaceae etc. and give characters of all the species. 



Lower Circular Road, Sept. 17, 1844. 



Your boxes of plants have safely arrived, and in excellent condi- 

 tion : many thaflks for the same. Judging from casual inspection, 

 all the Calami and the Caryotae are new, but of this more anon. 

 The Phoenices I intend attacking forthwith. 



I have since got from Assam a dwarf Phoenix, differing especially 

 from Roxburgh's P. acaulis in the long peduncles of the fruit spa- 

 dices, a capital practical mark. I have no means however, of as- 

 certaining how this differs from P. farinifera, Roxburghs character 

 etc. not alluding to this, which I believe to be essential. My species 

 are P. acaulis P. Ousleyana, P. sylvestris, P. paludosa. 



The sketches of the Podostemese will be very useful. I have got 

 a box full of plants ready for you, in natural families, written out- 

 side the bundles ; they chiefly consist of Malacca plants, but you 

 will find some others. There are few if any names, but the famili- 

 ar disposition will relieve you from some trouble. I find the mount 

 Ophir Leucopogon, distinct from Jacks ; so is the second Asiatic 

 Epacridea. I have five Tristaniaa from the Eastern coast, more 

 Australian affinities, which are noticed in my account of collections 

 now in press. 



Of Zsenoninje I have three new genera, all neatly characteris- 

 able. Wallich's Z. cessoides will come under my Enkylia : Arnott 

 appears to me to be in error in his characters of this sub family. 



Please to let me know as soon as possible the habit of the Phoenix, 

 which appears very distinct from any I have met with. Your name 

 P. pedunculata it apt, and I suppose has been retained by Prof. 



