1837-] Remarks on the Gamboge Tree of Ceylon. 



243 



peculiar, and quite unlike that of any species of Garcinia with which 

 I am acquainted, in which the free portion of the filament is thread- 

 like, and the anther bilocular, opening longitudinally. In Mrs. Walker's 

 flowers, on the contrary, the free part of the stamens is thick and 

 clavate, and the anthers open' by the complete circumcision of a sin- 

 gular umbilicate, flat, and terminal lid, the elliptical pollen- granules 

 being immersed in cellular substance. 



For these reasons, I cannot hesitate in believing that the Gamboge 

 plant of Ceylon belongs to a nondescript genus, characterized espe- 

 cially by the stamens, which have suggested the name of Eebraden- 

 dron. Having communicated this opinion to Mr. Brown, he replied, 

 " In your plant, the structure of the anther is indeed very remarkable, 

 and might well induce you to consider it as forming a distinct genus ; 

 but it is right to add, that approaches to this structure, and which 

 serve to explain its analogy with the ordinary structure of the family, 

 exist in Garcinia, with which I suppose your plant would agree in its 

 female flower, as well as in fruit." 



As I have never seen the female flower, nor any drawing of it, I 

 cannot add to the probability which is given to this conjecture by Mr. 

 Brown having formed it, except by stating, that there are within the 

 persistent calyces of the fruit, abortive filiform stamens, very much 

 resembling those which are found similarly attached to the fruit of 

 Garcinia. 



The resemblance to the Ceylon plant, of the inflorescence and form 

 of the flower-bud, of Garcinia elliptica ( WallicKs List, No. 4869), led 

 me to examine its structure in connexion with this subject, and I found 

 it also to have male blossoms, with stamens precisely similar. Sir W. 

 J. Hooker was also struck with the resemblance, and obligingly for- 

 warded to me his specimen for examination. His flowers were fur- 

 ther advanced than mine, and on my requesting him to steep one, he 

 sent me drawings which it is impossible to distinguish from those 

 taken from the Ceylon plant. It is unfortunate that we do not know 

 the female flowers in either species ; and yet, if I do not misunder- 

 stand Mrs. Walker, or if she is not mistaken, which is less likely, the 

 Ceylon plant is monsecious. 



It is very certain that the tree of Ceylon yields a Gamboge, fit for 

 all the purposes of that from Siam, and equal to it in quality, though 

 from the process by which it is prepared for the market not being 

 so perfect, its appearance is less attractive, and the price must 

 be depreciated till that process is improved. At present, however, 

 we have no direct testimony as to the tree which affords the Gamboge 

 of Siam. Its being the same with that which in Ceylon yields this 

 substance may be doubted. It is perhaps, and more probably, a near- 

 ly allied species of the same genus ; this affinity appearing from the 

 experiments of Dr. Christison, shewing all but an identity of chemical 



