Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/172

 tent: calyx segments tapering to a fine point, nearly twice the length of the involucel, but shorter than the oblong obtuse petals: stamens and sterile filaments united at the base: capsule tomentose.

M. Rupestries Wight's MSS.

Hab. Talapoodatoor among rugged broken rocks in the bed of a mountain stream.

This is a very rare species, which I have never met with since I first gathered it in 1834. It is evidently very closely allied to Wallichs M. Hamiltoniana a native of Pegu but differs sufficiently to entitle it to be looked upon as a new species. I adopt Dr. Arnott's name in preference to my own, though mine was first given, partly as being characteristic of the plant in place of the locality in which it grows, partly, and principally, because 1 believe the other is already published. Dr. A.'s specimens were gathered at the same time and place by Lieut. Campbell of the 50th Regt. N. I. who accompanied me on that excursion.

Pterospermum abtusifolium R. W. Arborious : leaves cuniate at the base, very broad truncated at the apex sometimes irregularly 2 lobed, or somewhat obcordate, the lobes coarsely toothed ; glabrous above, under side covered with mealy whitish pubescence, reticulated with prominent veins: sepals linear, coroll a densely covered externally with white stellate pubesctnee: capsules ovate, very obtuse or roundish at the apex, covered with dense rusty coloured furfuracious tomentum; seeds about 4 in each cell.

Habo Courtallum in dense forests.

This species comes nearest P. reticulatum, but the leaves are so totally distinct, that I cannot think of uniting them. I only found it in fruit, the description of the flowers is made from some old ones, more persistent than the generality, and is therefore imperfect, the involucel I have not seen.

In the same jungles I found P. glabrescens, P. Heyneanum and P. rubiginosum. The latter, except in the very peculiar form of its leaves, which are quite characteristic, much resembles P. suberifolium especially in its unexpanded flower buds. I have not yet seen either full blown flowers or capsules. P. glabrescens differs from all the other species I have seen in having its ovary supported on a long slender stypa or gynophore, and the sepals, which are linear, upwards of 5 inches long and only about | of an inch broad, peculiarities well represented in Rheede's figure.

1. Sterculia Balanghas flowering branch. Natural size,

2. A flower, showing the divisions of the calyx united at the apex. 3. Male flower opened. 4. Staminal column separated from the calyx. 5. A fertile flower, showing the ovary with the sterile anthers at the base and the lobed stigma at the apex.

6. Ovary cut transversely showing the 5 carpels with 2 rows of seeds in each.

7. A seed cut transversely.

8. The same cut vertically showing the erect foliacious cotyledons of the embryo. All more or less magnified.

1. Guazuma tomentosa flowering branch natural size. 2. A flower full blown, shewing the vaulted petals with their strap shaped appendages. 3. The same, the petals removed to shew the tube of the stamens and the alternate, sterile and antheriferous filamenti. 4. A petal removed. 5. Antheriferous filaments removed, each composed of a bundle of united filaments free at the apex, and bearing a single 2-celled anther. 6. Ovary, style, and stigma, apex of the same with the style broken into its component parts, showing that it is composed of 5 slightly adherent styles.

7. Ovary cut vertically.

8. Cut transversely, showing its 5 carpels.

9. Mature fruit.— Natural size. 10. A capsula cut transversely. 11. Seed one cut transversely, all more or less magnified.

 

This is a very small order, consisting of a single genus, and so far as I am aware of as yet only four species. Dr. Arnott was the first to propose the separation of this genus as the type of a distinct order, and published it as such in our prodromus. Dr. Lindley has since adopted the order in his natural system of Botany, whence we may infer, that he considers it justly separated from those with which it had been previously associated, and indeed there can scarcely be any doubt on the subject, since, for the reasons stated by Dr. Arnott, it could not be associated either with Malvacece nor Chlenaceae.

I republish from the Prodromus Dr. Arnott's character and remarks, the correctness of which I have verified by again carefully comparing them with the plant.

Calyx without an involucel, persistent, 5-sepaled : sepals distinct, acute, unequal : the two exterior lanceolate, densely pubescent on the back ; another dimidiate-ovate, the straight side pubescent, the rounded side testaceous and shining ; the two inner ones roundish ovate and 