xxviii 



LETTERS OF WILLIAM GRIFFITH. 



Vermillion spadices, and dark purple drupes. In Scitaminea I hare 

 worked hard, these deserve instant attention, description, and draw- 

 ing, even more than Orchideas ; they are very common. Oh I forget 

 a very singular one with opposite leaves, a Rhizophoreous stipu- 

 lation, and habit of Celastrineae. I have only seen buds and fruit, the 

 calyx inferus 4 part, aestiv. valvat. Pet 4 alternant : fimbriato ciliata. 

 Stam 8. Ovar stylo apice 5-7 radiato, loculis tot quot lobi styli. 

 Fructus baccatus 5-7 locul : inferus. Semina minuta : albuminosa. 

 Embryo axilis radicula prope hilum. Some artificial points are those 

 of Rhizophoreae, but then the ovary and fruit are toto caelo discre- 

 pant. You must have this in your Malacca plants, if your collection 

 was a general one. Next, can a plant be Rubiaceous which has a 5 

 celled ovarium, a 5 radiant stigma, a 5 celled bacca ? with innume- 

 rable minute seeds. 



I have been much amused lately with seeing the way in which 

 amateur botanists determine plants, with books sub oculis. I have 

 your Cambessedea thus figuring under the name of Pierardia sativa ! 



a Tristania under that of Euthemis jack, and says, he thinks 



Baeckia virgata a Casuarina, only it has not monseceous flowers ! 

 Query then, of what use are books ? I have just gone through Dr. 

 Cantors Canton China plants, and am going to appear thereon in 

 McClellands' journal. I dont like doing so, as I have not even 

 Endlichers genera. I chiefly notice Hamaraelideas and CucurbitaceaB, 

 of which I have 3 undescribed Zanonia genera, which I suppose no 

 body will adopt at home without specimens. Actinostemma, Mo- 

 nosoma, Gomphogyne. I remark on Arnott's sub dividing proces- 

 ses ; what a shame it is to mutilate Cucurbitacese so. If this is the 

 way, what is to be understood as a genus. Give me a large genus 

 and several sub genera, rather than the modern way. This by the 

 bye, is most illogical, for a genus, being a genus, should have a cer- 

 tain amount of character, but we have no certain amount, but a 

 most uncertain one : one genus having several distinctive marks, 

 another only one, another only half a one, and so on. Were bota- 

 nist to study the Macleayan doctrines, on this subject, which are so 

 philosophical, and so consistent, the error would become obvious. 



Whenever you are engaged on the plants of the Southern Pe- 

 ninsulas, remember William Jacks writings, which are generally 

 passed over, although they are of first rate accuracy and importance. 



