PODOCA HP OS MACROPHYLLA 
57 
totatn pericarpii cavitatem replens, carnosum, album. Embryo (fig. 11.) cylindricus, 
albus, oblique adscendens, cavitate propriA, dimidiam inferiorem partem axis peri sperm i 
occupante reccptus. Cotyledones dme, ovatm, obtusa?, convexa?, intus plana?; plumula 
minuta, obtusa, cotyledonum basibus obteeta; radicula iufera, aeutiuscula, brevi e basi 
perispermi distantia remota. 
Observation. 
I can discover no specific difference between the trees of the authors quoted 
above, or between them and those of Sylliet, Nepal, and Singapore. The species may 
therefore be considered as having an extraordinary extent of geographical distribution. 
In regard to the genus to which 1 have referred the tree, I should have entertained 
no doubt whatever, if M. Mirbel bad not attributed an inverted embryo to Podocarpus 
asphnifolia of Labellardiere, in an interesting memoir connected with the subject of 
the structure of seeds, inserted in the 16th vol. of Annales du museum d’histoire na- 
turelle, (p. 456. t. 6.) The same acute observer represents the embryo inverse in Taurus 
baccata (loc. cit. tab. 4;) while Gaertner describes it as being erect (Carp. 2. p. 66,) 
which it undoubtedly also is in Taxus (my Podocarpm) macrophylla. The general 
habit, male inflorescence and leaves of Rseinpfer’s Nagi y Amoen. exot. p. 773. t. 774. 
are much like those of our tree, but its leaves are considerably broader. Thunberg, in 
his Flora japonica, calls it Myrica Nngi , and Ga?rtner makes a new genus of it, under 
the name of Nageia , carpol. 1. p. 191. t. 39, from which Roxburgh's Nageia Putran- 
jiva, hort. beng. 71. is certainly genericaily different. I shall have occasion to revert to 
this subject a few pages further on, in my observation on Myrica sapida. 
The wood of our tree is of a greyish white color, resembling in its structure com¬ 
mon deal, and employed, as I was told bv some Chinese inhabitants at Singapore, in the 
construction of boats, being light and durable. In Nepal, no use is made of it] but 
the natives of that country eat the fleshy and juicy receptacles of the fruit, w hich have 
a slightly resinous taste, but are otherwise very insipid. The fruit itself is not eatable. 
I have retained the specific name macrophylla , from au aversion to multiplying 
names, but 1 believe that. Podocarpm asphnifolia has much larger leaves. 
Taxus chinensis , Roxb. hort. beng. 73, is, I strongly suspect, 7 1 . vert ici Hat a , 
Tluinb. jap. 276, of which Sir J. E. Sm.tli vary jn«ily remarks, in ttees’s Cyclopedia, 
that Kaempfer’s description (Ken sin , item Sen bake , vulgo lnu mdki , i. e. Mdki 
spuria , amoen. exot. 780,) points at its close resemblance to T. macrophylla and spina- 
losa ; suggesting at the same time, that all three might be detached under a sepa¬ 
rate genus, distinguished by the structure of the anthers and the fruit. Its habit and 
leaves are certainly very like those of Podocarpus macrophylla. Both grow very 
freely in the Honorable Company's botanic garden at Calcutta; the former introduc¬ 
ed irom Nepal and Sylhet, the latter from China. They are easily propagated bv cut¬ 
tings. None of them has as yet blossomed. 
TAXUS NUCIFERA, Kcempf. f TAB. 44 
Foliis solitariis, linearibus, remotis, Thunb. japon. 275. 
Fi y vulgo Kaja, Taxus nucifera , Iiaempf. amoen. exot. p. 814. t. 815 ? 
Taxus nucifera , Linn. spec, plant. 2, p. 1472? Gaertn. carp. 2. p. 66. t. 91 ? 
In Japonia detexit E. Kaempfer. China, (Hort. Rew'ens.) Montes tibetanae, W. 
S. Webb. Sirinuggur, Kamroop et R. Blinkworth. Ipse legi in monte Sheopore, 
versus apicem, florentem Martio. 
Nomen Newar. Loosoah 
