APRIL — JUNE, 1857.] Neio Cinghalese Platifs. 
103 
On two new Plants, Epicabpurus Zeylanica and Doona Zetla- 
NICA, found in Ceylon ; by G. H. W. Thwaites, Esq., Director 
of the Botanic Garden of Peradenia, 
Epicarpurtjs Zeylanica, Thto, 
Frutex ramosus, foliis subrhombeo-lanceolatis acuminatis glabris 
remote spinuloso-serfatis, floribus masculis dense capitatis, capi- 
tulis oblongisjfoemineis racemosis,pedicellisapiceincrassatis fruc- 
tiferis valde elongatis. 
A shrub or small tree, eight or ten feet high, sparingly spinose, 
much branched ; the extremities of the young branches with a 
few short scattered hairs. Bark dark brown, somewhat rugose. 
Leaves smooth, flaccid, lanceolate or rhomboido-lanceolate, serrated, 
one and a half to two inches and three-quarters long, by three- 
quarters to one inch wide, tapering towards the slightly hairy very 
short petiole, with glandular puncta very minute and numerous. 
Male inflorescence pale yellow ; anthers nearly round, with a 
green spot on the back ; brads small, inconspicuous. Sepals mem- 
branous, obtuse. Female inflorescence : fljwers green, on 
rather long pedicels ; sepals acute. Stigmas with brown villi on 
their inner face. 
The male of the species just described bears a considerable re- 
semblance to Morns, and might easily be mistaken for a member 
of that genus, but it will be seen that the structure of the female 
plant differs essentially from that of Morns. 
The ovule in this plant, which at first merely causes a slight 
protuberance on one side of the ovary during its development forces 
itself out of it, as it were, and at last occupies the summit of the 
flower having pushed the upper part of the ovary with the stigmas 
on one side. It then has the appearance of a naked seed seated 
upon an enlarged receptacle. 
The Peradenia Herbarium contains another species»of the genu?, 
allied to the above, but differing in its more rigid habit; the 
branches, which are of a pale ash-colour, all terminating in spines. 
The young male inflorescence differs too in being enclosed in rather 
large brown scaly bracts ; and, in the only specimen of the female 
