484 G. King — Mat&nahfor a Flora of t%e Malayan Petiittsula. [Ho. 3, 
The chiiracters of the genus Melamrrhimf as defined by WalHch 
ita" founder, were nuKlificd, m rcgnvdn the n timber of stamens, by Sir 
JoBepli Hooker in the Flora of British India, in order to adjnit the 
pontameroaa species M. Midngayi and ^f, WallichiL 1 have ventured 
etill further to modify them in two points, viz.., the calyptrato nature of 
the calyx, and the accrescenco and persistence of petals as wings in the 
finiit. In the species whicli I have here named M. torquaia, the calyx, 
instead of slipping off over the apex of the ilowor m a ciilyptra, drops 
downwards and forms a loose collar liangtng round the pedicel. And, in 
the two species which I have named aptera and M. inappendicalalay 
the petals are deciduous and do not persist as wings to the fmit. But, 
even after these modificiitions^ there remain a saOicient number of 
cliai-actera by which MelanorrJma, may be distinguished from its nearest 
ally Stvitifonia, 
1. MBLANOBRHdri Maingayt, Hook. fil, FL Br. Itid. 11, 25. A tree 
80 to JOO feet higlt : the joting branches rather slender, their bark 
when dr}'' pale brown, at first puberulons afterwai-ds glabrous. Leaves 
coriftceons, broadly ellipti^, the apices rounded or obtuse^ the base very 
slightly cuneate, the edges sub-undtilate ; both surfaces reticulate, 
shining, the upper glabi-ona, the lower with a few very minute 
bail's and many dota ; main nerves 12 to 16 pairs, sub-horizontal, pro- 
minent on both surfaces but especially on the lower : length 3*5 to 6 
iri,, breadth 2 to 3 in. ; petiole 1 to 1*25 in. Fanicles tenninal arid 
axillary, slender, two or tliree times as long as the leaves, tawny -pubes- 
cent especially towards the extremities, their branches few and aub- erect, 
the ultimate branchlets few-flowered. Fhwers '5 in. in diara., on slender 
pedicels ; buds elliptic, acute, pubescent. FetaU lanceolate, pubescent, 
Btatncm 5 ; the filaments slender, pubescent above the middle. Bisc 
elevated. Ovary tomentose. Fruit oblong, obtuse, about *5 in. long, 
glabrescent ; the enlarged petals at ita base coriaceous, veined, linear- 
oblong, the gynophore very short. Engler in DC. Mon. Phan. lY, 235. 
Malacca : Maingay, Nos. 482 ; 485 ; Derry. Pemk : Soortechini, 
No. 1719 ; King's Collectori»No. 77S8. Singapore :' Ridley, Ko. 4780. 
2 Melanorbhcea Wallicuii, Hook. fil. FL Br. Ind. I, 25. A 
Tery large ti-ee ; the young branches slender, glabrous. Leaves coria- 
ceous, obovate- elliptic, the apex obtuse or i-onnded, the base slightly 
cuneate and somewhat oblique ; both surfaces glabrons and shining, 
the lower reticulate, t\v% upper obscurely so : main nerves JO or 12 
pairs, snb-horizontal, not very prominent ; length 3-5 to 8 in., breadth 
2 to 4 in. J petiole "75 to 1*5 in., slightly winged, and somewhat dilated 
at the base, puberulouB. Fanicles numerous, axillary and terminal, 
branched fi'om the base, about 12 in. long, the»brauches with slender 
