Euphorbiacece.] 



CHINA. 



211 



as are represented by M. Adr. de Jussieu, in his P. tristis, Euph. p. 22. t. 5. f. 16. B. To these M. de Jussieu 

 adds P. cernuus and P. rha7nnoides. We suspect that he, as well as Poiret, mean by this latter Koenig's 

 and Roxburgh's P. vitis-Idea; indeed, we are almost sure of it, for at p. 108 he looks on P. rhamnoides as, 

 perhaps, the same with his P. tristis. What Retz's and Willdenow's P. rhamnoides is, we scarcely know, 

 the synonyms adduced by the latter belonging- to several very different plants. Roxburgh's species of that 

 name has the male flowers racemed, and six scales on the middle of the leaflets of the perianth, " pointing- 

 inwards, before the flower expands, so as to cover the anthers like so many hoods:" he compares it with 

 P. pendula, Roxb., and this last is, " when young, not unlike Niruri." We have received P. lucens from 

 Mr. Millett and Mr. Yachell, n. 95. • 



3. Phyllantbus cinerascens ; frutex glaber, ramis striatis cortice cinereo, foliis parvis 

 obovatis vel ovalibus obtusissimis vel retusis coriaceis glabris approximatis fasciculatis vel 

 2-4 ad ramulos breves juniores, floribus 3-5-nis breve pedicellatis 6-fidis. 



The only specimen we have seen, sent by Mr. Millett, is very imperfect. The leaves scarcely exceed a 

 third of an inch : the flowers (we have only observed the male ones,) arise from a small scaly tubercle, or 

 abortive branchlet; their structure is precisely that of P. lanceolata, Adr. de Juss. Euph. t. 5. n. 16. A. f. 2. 



1. Bridelia Loureiri ; ramulis pubescentibus virgatis, foliis oblongis acutiusculis utrinque 

 glabris, stipulis minutis deciduis, floribus plurimis axillaribus glomeratis sessilibus, proces- 

 subus petaloideis late cuneatis apice grosse dentatis perianthio vix dimidio brevioribus, 

 stylo trifido. — Cluytia monoica. Lour. Coch. 2. p. 784. 



This was received, about ten years ago, in Sir W m. J. Hooker's first packet from Mr. Millett. The 

 flowers are sometimes 6-cleft, and with 6 anthers. It approaches very closely to B. patula, but seems to 

 differ in several particulars. 



M. Adrien de Jussieu has remarked, (Euphorb. Tent. p. 25.) that although four or five of the East 

 Indian species of Cluytia agree with C. pulchella and the other Cape ones, in having a trifid style, 

 and three-celled fruit, he is rather disposed to unite them with Bridelia, and make the principal difference 

 between that genus and Cluytia to depend on the disk that lines the bottom of the perianth, (as in some genera 

 of the Rhamnea>) unaccompanied with the bifid or trifid appendages that alternate with the petaloid bodies, 

 and characterise the Cape species. We have, therefore, inserted Loureiro's plant in Bridelia, and this, 

 with C. stipularis, Linn., C; diversifolia, Roxb., C. collina, C. patula, and C. oblungifolia, will constitute a 

 section distinguished by the trifid style and trilocular capsule. It is probable that C. semper jlor ens, Roxb. Fl. 

 Ind. 3. p. 730, from Silhet, must form a genus (Silvia, Hook, et Am.) distinct from either ; in it there appear 

 to be in the male, five glands that alternate with the insertion of the petaloid processes, instead of a disk, and 

 the petaloid processes are of a deep purple colour; there are six anthers. In the female, the petaloid pro- 

 cesses are wanting, but the ovary is surrounded at the base by a pentagonal ring, similar to what almost 

 always usurps the place of a disk in the female flowers of Bridelia. The species belonging to the groupe 

 with a three-celled fruit, may be thus distinguished : — 



§ I. Stipules majuscula}. 



1. B. stipularis; foliis ovalibus subtus tomentosis, stipulis ovatis acutis. — Cluytia stipularis. Linn. 



2. B. diversifolia ; foliis utrinque glabris ex obovatis obtusis in late lanceolata acuta, stipulis ensiformibus, 

 tloribus sessilibus, processubus petaloideis rotundato-obovatis. — Cluytia diversifolia. Roxb. Fl. Ind. 3. p. 731. 



§ 2. Stipula: parvm vel minutce. 



3. B. collina ; foliis ovalibus glabris, floribus paucis glomeratis breviter pedicellatis, processubus petal- 

 oideis minutis lanceolatis integcrrimis.— Cluytia collina. Roxb. Cor. 2. t. 169 ; Fl. Ind. 3. p. 732. 



