Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/193

 little smoke, and consume the wick so as not to require snuffing. For making them the fluid resin may either be run into moulds, or when yet soft and pliable. in course of hardening, be rolled into the required shape. Some of these candles that were sent home, were highly prized, and sold for very high prices, but the protective duties on made candles, imported into Britain, is so high, as to amount to a prohibition, and put a stop to this trade. The crude Piney is however still sent for the purpose of being manufactured at home.

The medicinal properties of Camphor are too well known to require notice here, and those of Dammer are as yet but little known. The late Dr. Herklots directed attention to a native remedy for Berriberri Chloroxylon, black or Liniment the basis of which is Dammer, and gave a formula for its preparation, which has been published by Mr. Malcolmson page 328 of his essay on Berriberri. Both these gentlemen recommend it as a useful auxiliary in the treatment of this most fatal disease. Of its merits, I am unable to speak from personal knowledge, as I have never seen it used, nor indeed have ever seen the medicine, but Mr. Malcolmson seems to think it preferable to the liniments in general use, among us, for most cases requiring that kind of stimulus.

As nearly all the plants belonging to this order are trees, among the most majestic of the forest, they are esteemed for their timber, as well as for their resinous juice, and the well-known Saul, Shorea robusta Roxb. is considered by that eminent naturalist as only second to Teak, for most purposes requiring a strong durable wood. As ornamental trees they merit much attention, not only on account of their majestic size and handsome forms, but equally for the beauty of their clustered flowers, and the richly colored wings of their curious fruit. Both the Hopea, and Vatica Tumbugia (see Icones) are found in the vicinity of Madras, and might, I presume, be easily introduced into our gardens, where I have no doubt they would be much admired. Whether the Piney from Malabar would equally succeed is doubtful, but it is well deserving of a trial, since it is scarcely exceeded in beauty by any other tree.

The genera of this order are few in number, and generally agree so nearly in their distinctive characters that one is almost led to doubt whether they ought all to be retained. Dr. Lindley enumerates five, four of which are Indian. These may be thus distinguished. In Vateria, all the sepals more or less enlarge with the fruit, but do not form membranous wing-like appendages. In Hopea and Dipterocarpus, two of the sepals enlarge, and become dry scariose wings : the former is further distinguished by having 10 compressed filaments adhering to the base of the corolla and 15 short anthers, each alternate filament bearing two anthers, to which may be added as supplementary characters, the nearly sessile secund small flowers, greatly twisted aestivation, and union, at the base, of the petals : the latter, by having fewer and larger flowers, slightly twisted aestivation, and numerous filaments, each bearing a single elongated anther. In Vatica Lin. (Shorea of Roxb. and others) all the sepals, more or less enlarge, and become wing-shaped ; the stamens vary much in number, but are generally numerous. Dr. Arnott and I remark (W. and A. Prod.) that Valeria lanceœfolia Roxb. " ought perhaps to form a distinct genus," since then I have received specimens of a very nearly allied species ( V. Roxburgii R. W. Icones, No. 26) a native of the Peninsula. From an examination of this plant I still feel disposed to adopt the opinion then expressed, as there are points of difference, I think, of sufficient weight to separate them, but on the other hand a slight modification of the generic character suffices to keep them together, and as they essentially agree in the character of the calyx, both when in flower and in fruit, and that being the organ from which the generic distinctions of the order are principallly derived, 1 prefer leaving them in the genus, but forming for their more easy accommodation a subgenus; a plan, in which I was happy to find myself anticipated jby Dr Arnott, from whom. I received while this was passing through the press, a synopsis of the genus so arranged. V. ceylanica which I have added is exactly intermediate between his two subgenera, having the elongated style and acute stigma of the one, and the stamens and axillary inflorescence of the other. The fruit I have not seen, and the flowers not being full blown in the only specimen I have examined, it is too imperfect to enable me to determine the point, but I think it probable the species will, when better known, form the type of a third subgenus.

I mentioned above that Vateria indica was probably a native of Mysore. This opinion rests on some well executed drawings and specimens communicated by Mr. Apothecary Bertie*


 * I am indebted to Bertie for several very well executed drawings of plants and trust that my expectations of receiving many more will not be disappointed. An accomplishment so rare among the members of his branch of the service merits public commendation.