Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/183

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. gener, though certainly distinct, in this country, in a yet undescribed species in my herbarium. Of 5 species of Grewia found there, one is certainly identical with our G. villosa, which being supposed new, by the authors, has received from them the very appropriate name of G. corylifolia. The other four species, I am unable to identify, from description only, with any of our species of that most difficult genus. Of the Javanese species several are common to this country, and one or two perhaps to Senegambia, showing, that although limited in their range by latitude, they have a very extensive range of longitude.

So much has been said under this head in the preceding orders of the class Columniferse, which all enjoy analogous properties, that but little is left to be said here. The Tiliaceae like the other members of that class are mucilaginous and emollient in their properties, and as such, are employed in medicine, in almost every country in which they are found, a few, such as Corchorus olitorius are used as pot herbs. But it is in the arts they are most extensively applied. The fibres of the bark of nearly all, are esteemed on account of their strength, and in this country are spun into cordage, or made into cloth. The fabric known in England under the name of Russian mat or bass, is made from the inner bark of the Lime tree, Tilia europaea. The wood of several kinds is also valuable : the excellent Trincomalee wood of Ceylon, is the produce of Berria Ammonilla. The Grewia elastica, of Royle, affords timber much valued for its strength and elasticity, and is therefore used for making bows and bandy shafts. A Brazilian species Lechea paniculata affords a bark used in tanning leather.

&c. The number of genera enumerated as belonging to this order in Lindley's natural system of Botany is 22 certain, and 7 doubtful. Of the first, 5 are found in India and Java, and of the last one Vatica, is Indian, and has already been referred, in our Prodromus, to Dipterocarpeae as identical with Roxburgh's Shorea. The Indian genera are for the most part easily distinguished, Corchorus with the exception of C. capsularis has elongated many seeded capsules : Triumfetta has them somewhat globose, covered with hooked bristles, and few seeds : Grewia has baccate or drupacious fruit : and Berria winged capsules. Brownlowia, a genus of Roxburgh, but most strangely omitted in his flora Indica, is distinguished by its tri coccous capsules.

The Indian species of these genera are with the exception of Grewia, generally of easy discrimination, but some of those of Grewia, if really distinct (which I somewhat doubt) are most difficult to distinguish with other than most perfect specimens, the fruit affording the best, if not indeed the only marks by which they can, with certainty, be determined. G. orientalis and G. columnaris, are so much alike, that I find it almost impossible to say to which I ought to refer many specimens, not in fruit, which have recently been added to my collection. Our G. emarginata is very nearly allied to both, but readily distinguished by its globosely lobed fruit. G. hirsuta and G. pilosa are also so closely allied that it becomes difficult to decide to which, some of the extreme forms of each belong, and leads to the inference that they are but varieties, unless the cleft petals of the latter be found sufficiently constant to keep them distinct Grewia villosa of India is certainly identical with G. corylifolia of the Flora Senegambiae, but I cannot perceive that any of the others are, unless perhaps G. bicolor, which from description, appears very nearly related to G. Kothii, except in the fruit which is stated to be globose in the one, and 2-lobed or dydimous in the other, apparently an excellent distinction. As this is a very difficult family, I propose shortly publishing figures in my Icones, of a number of them.


 * 1. Flowering branch of Grewia Microeos—natural size.
 * 2. A flower, the sepals drawn back to show the petals and stamens.
 * 3. The same, sepals and petals removed, showing the elevated torus, and the attachment of the stamens

round the ovary—the upper figure a detached petal, showing its glandular appendage at the base, surrounded by a fringe of short hairs.
 * 4. Stamens back and front views.
 * 5. Ovary cut vertically.
 * 6. The same cut transversely.
 * 7. Full grown fruit cut transversely—all more or less magnified.
 * 8. A mature fruit—natural size.