170 



CHINA. 



[ T iliac ea. 



1. Reevesia thyrsoidea. Lindl. in Bot. Reg. t. 1236. 



This seems to be an abundant plant, if we may judge from the specimens we have received from various 

 friends. 



1. Byttneria aspera; foliis cordato-subrotundis breviter ac subiter acuminulatis integer- 

 rimis nervo medio versus basin subtus glandula lineari oblonga instructo, floribus corymbosis, 

 carpellis aculeis brevibus validis echinatis. — Colebr. in Roxb. et. Willd. FL Ind. 2. p. 383. — 

 B. grandifolia. De Cand. Prodr. v. I. p. 486. 



The capsule consists of five cocci, which split in an elastic manner, and separate from the central axis, 

 very much as in Hura crepitans, to which also in the appearance of the foliage this plant bears considerable 

 resemblance. The leaves are described by Dr. Wallich as pubescent beneath, and they are so likewise in 

 the specimen from China before us ; but those from the Calcutta Garden, distributed by Dr. Wallich, (n. 

 1 144 of his List of Indian Plants,) are, as De Candolle says, perfectly glabrous. We scarcely know what is 

 meant in the Flora Indica (1. c.) by " Anthers twin:" probably anthers two-celled, as there is really but one 

 anther, although the two cells be slightly distinct. Mr. G. Don, in Miller's Dictionary, places this species 

 in Commersonia, with which it agrees pretty well in habit, but not in the structure of the fruit, nor in the 

 trifid filaments. — With regard to Commersonia, we have at page CO of this Work inadvertently been led 

 into the same mistake as other authors, by referring to Bum ph. Amb. 3. 1 19, as a figure of Forster's C. echinata. 

 At first sight the figure agrees well, and is therefore quoted by Forster himself; but on turning to the text, 

 Bumphius thus describes the leaves " adulta inferius sunt subrotunda, in medio antem latissime, sex nempe 

 digitos transversales lata sunt ilia, qua? palmam longa sunt." Besides the great size described, they are 

 represented strongly serrated. Now the plant we had in view, and which, after a second careful comparison 

 with Forster's plate and description, we still consider to be his species, has rigid coriaceous leaves, glabrous 

 above, and covered with a compact white pubescence beneath ; their shape is oblongo-lanceolate, slightly 

 and unequally cordate at their base, while their margin is slightly and distantly toothed. There cannot, 

 we think, be the smallest doubt but the Commersonia echinata of Blume, now called C. Javensis, by Mr. G. 

 Don, in Miller's Dictionary, (with which again we consider as identical C. platyphylla, fi. De Cand. Prodr. 

 v. 1. p. 480, and C. echinata of Boxburgh, figured and described by him as n. 1392, at the India House, but 

 omitted in his own Indian Flora, although the name is inserted in the Hortus Benghalensis at p. 22,) is the 

 plant figured by Bumphius ; and further, we do not see any satisfactory character to distinguish it from C. 

 platyphylla, Andr., figured in the Bot. Magazine, t. 1813. 



1. Pentapetes phcenicea. Linn. 



1. Pterospermum acerifolium ; foliis cordatis siibrotundis dentatis, involucro nullo. — 

 Willd. Sp. PI. v. 3. p. 729. — Pentapetes acerifolia. Linn. 



Walteria indica of this order is found by Mr. Vachell near Macao. 



Ord. XII. TILIACEjE. Juss. 



1. Grewia Microcos ; foliis ovato-vel obovato-lanceolatis acuminatis junioribus subtus 

 breviter stellato-pilosis adultis glabris basi subcordatis rugulosis serrulatis, panicula terminali 

 pubescenti, floribus binis ternisve involucratis, petalis calyce multo brevioribus apice emar- 

 ginatis, ad unguem cavitate annulo pubescenti cincta intusque glandulam adpressam prope 

 basin ferente instructis, drupa putamine unico pilosa triloculari, foliis serratis. Linn. Syst. 

 ed. 12. v. 2. p. 602. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 510. Spr. Syst. Veget. v. 2. p. 579. — G. ulmi- 

 folia. Roxb. Hort. Bengh. p. 42. FL Ind. 2. p. 591. E. I. C. Mm. tab. pict. 1983.— 



