H. C. Botanic Gardens, Calcutta. 241 



This appears to me best intelligible as a placenta derived 

 from the axis. It will be seen, however, that its parts have the 

 ordinary numerical relation with the carpel leaf, to which, 

 moreover, its development may be considered to be subse- 

 quent. 



I have not been able to trace any continuity between any 

 parts of the surface of the placentae and the stigmatic tissue, 

 which, however, resembles that surface in colour and ap- 

 pearance. But it appears to me probable, judging from 

 the situation of the foramen of the ovulum, that conducting 

 tissue does line the inner paries of the ovarial cavity. 



The description of the embryo is derived from obser- 

 vations made in June 1835, and since verified. 



This genus is stated by Sir J. Smith,* to have been 

 founded by Mr. Dryander, at the suggestion of Sir Joseph 

 Banks, in just commemoration of Dr. Roxburgh, the first 

 Superintendant of these Gardens. It appeared first, I be- 

 lieve, in the Coromandel Plants of Dr. Roxburgh, a work 

 munificently patronised by the Hon'ble Court of Direc- 

 tors, but of which, no complete copy exists in this insti- 

 tution. It was referred to Octandria Monogynia by Dr. 

 Roxburgh, who appears to have considered the filaments as 

 petals, the abortive upper parts of the anther cells as nec- 

 taria, and each cell of the anthers as an entire anther ; 

 which view appears to have been very generally adopted.f 



The next author who appears to have described the genus 

 is Sir J. Smith, J who referred the genus to Tetrandria 

 Monogynia, and gave a much more accurate description of 

 the stamina, considering the appendages as abortive anthers. 



* Rees' Cyclop, in loco. 



t Willdenow. Sp. Plant 2. pt. 1. 321 .-—Lamarck Enc. Meth. 6. 319.— 

 Persoon, Synop. 1. 412.— Aitori. Hort. Kew. ed. 2. v. 2. 347.— Sims. 

 Bot. Mag. 1. 1500.— Sprengel. Syst. Veget 2. 214.— Poiret. Diet. Sc. Nat ; 

 46. 377. 



X Exot. Bot. 111. t. 57. Rees' Cyclop, in loco. 



