to Mr Aiton, who has enriched our Botanic Garden with 
some of its choicest plants. It was sent to Kew, and probably 
to other gardens in England, marked Prunus Puddum, a 
name that can only have been applied to it in reference to the — 
general habit of the tree or shrub, or to the appearance of its 
leaves, without the opportunity of an inspection of the flowers. 
These prove it to belong to the Natural Order Euphorbiaceae, 
and are so closely allied in their structure, both the male and 
female blossoms, to the genus Pachysandra, that, except in 
the circumstance of the latter genus having 3 stigmas, and this 
plant only 2, I know of scarcely a difference. The stamens 
have the same dilated filaments, and a similar form of anther, 
and in both, the flowers are placed in axillary spikes. In the 
habit, however, a striking disparity is observable. Pachysan- 
dra is a low, creeping herbaceous plant, with deciduous leaves; 
whilst the present species forms a shrub, or probably, in its na- 
_ tive country, a tree, with evergreen coriaceous leaves: so that 
it seems likely, that, when the fruit of this individual comes to 
be known, it will be found to constitute a distinct genus. — 
With the genus Buwus, the subject of the present plate 
quite agrees in the structure of its male flowers; but the pistil is 
considerably different, in its form and organization ; and though 
the evergreen foliage may be thought to mark an affinity of 
habit, yet the nature of the leaves, and especially of their ner- 
vation, is widely different. oe - | 
For the present, therefore, I shall place it in the genus Pa- 
chysandra, \eaving it to Dr Waxuicu, who has doubtless 
ere now seen its blossoms, and in all probability the perfect 
fruit, to form it into a new genus, if he deems it necessary, in 
his Flora Indica. 
a 
Fig. 1. Male flower. Fig. 2. The same, before the stamens have reached 
their full size. Fig. 3. Female flower. Fig. 4. Pistil. Fig. 5. Section 
of an anther. ; : 
