Page:A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland.djvu/16

, prove, on a nearer examination, total strangers, with other configurations, other œconomy, and other qualities; not only all the species that present themselves are new, but most of the genera, and even natural orders.

The plant before us justifes the above remarks. Its botanical characters are so new, we can scarcely tell to what tribes it is allied; and although, from the peculiar felicity of the Linnæan sexual system, founded on parts which every plant must have, we are at no loss to find its class and order in that which is an artificial system, we still scarcely know what genera are its natural allies. It, however, seems most nearly related to Dictamnus and Ruta, of all the Decandria Monogynia, and may be safely inserted near them. We dare not positively say it belongs to M. De Jussieu's natural order of Rutaceæ, but for the present it may be so considered, till future discoveries shall authorise us to constitute a new one. The generic character above given certainly distinguishes it from all other genera, and the name applies to the very unusual horn-like divisions of the petals, like those in the leaves of the Ceratophyllum of Linnæus. One species only is already known.

This, Mr. White informs us, is one of the trees (for there are several, it seems, besides the Eucalyptus resinifera, mentioned in his Voyage, p. 231.) which produce the red gum. He further remarks, that it is the only wood of the country that will swim in water. The