Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/246

124 § II. Anthers 2-celled, oblong, dehiscing longitudinally, introrse.

§ III. Anthers sessile, depressed, flattened above, 1-celled, dehiscing circularly, (circumscissile). Cainbogia. — Lin.

In the following synopsis of the genus I shall distribute all the known species according to the above arrangement, premising however, that I have seldom encountered one, whose species are more difficult to unravel, and that I entertain but faint hopes of succeeding in my endeavour to render clear, that which seems to have been very obscure to most of my predecessors. Of these, Roxburgh is the one on whom I have reposed most confidence, his descriptions, with a few exceptions extending to every part of the plant, and being generally made from recent specimens, are the most correct and perfect.

A similar plan has been pursued with respect to the other genera of the order Mesua, Gynotroches, Calophyllum, Kayea, and Calysaccion, (Apoterium I consider a section, only, of Calophyllum) and thus will be placed before the Indian Botanist the most complete account of the Asiatic division of this difficult and hitherto ill understood order any where published. That both errors and omissions will be found, is most probable, since such seem almost unavoidable even under circumstances most favourable to the attainment of accuracy, and such I cannot flatter myself are those under which I write, limited as I am in the time requisite for the elaboration of such a monograph, and equally so in the space I feel myself at liberty to appropriate to it in this work. The whole order however required elucidation, and the means of doing so to a considerable extent, having been placed at my disposal, I feel, that I should not have done justice to those who kindly contributed the materials, did I not do my utmost to render them available to the objects of science by their publication.

Garcinia — Lin. Willd. &c.

Cambogia, Lin. — Mangostana, Gært. — Brindonia, Pet. Thour ? — Oxycarpus, Lour. —Stalagmitis, Murray, partly ? Cambess. partly. — Hebradendron, Graham.

Flowers polygamous, dioecious. Sepals 4, persistent. Petals 4, deciduous. Male — Stamens numerous, 4 adelphous, or monadelphous, with or without an imperfect pistillum. Anthers 1-2-4 celled, dehiscence various. Female — Stamens few or numerous, usually, 4 adelphous, the fascicles opposite the sepals — anthers generally imperfect. Ovary 4-10, celled : Ovules solitary in each cell. Style very short or wanting. Stigma peltate, lobed ; lobes corresponding in numher with the cells. Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, 4-10 celled, crowned with the permanent stigma, globose, or slightly elongated, sometimes furrowed. Seeds, solitary in each cell — Trees, with opposite, coriaceous, shining, glabrous leaves ; the extreme branches usually somewhat 4-sided.

Subgenus MANGOSTANA — Gært. Male — Stamens very numerous, tetradelphous ; androphores, thick and fleshy, covered on all sides with anthers — Ovary rudimentary, supporting a large globose sterile stigma.

§ I. Anthers oblong, 2-celled, dehiscing longitudinally.

1. G. Mangostana, (Lin.) Leaves somewhat rhomboidal, obtuse; male — flowers fascicled; female— solitary, terminal: fruit globose, 6- 10 celled, (about the size of an orange).

2. G. cornea, (Lin.) Leaves oval, oblong, acute at both ends; flowers terminal, male aggregated; female solitary : fruit globose, 4-celled, (about the size of a lime).

3. G. speciosa—(Wal. PI. As. Rar. 3, page 37-258.) Leaves elliptic, oblong, acute, male flowers aggregated in the terminal axils, stamens 4adelphous, androphores, closely covered with anthers, sterile stigma flat, 4-angled : female ?

The male plant only of this species is known, the flowers seem larger than those of any of the other species of the genus.

4. G. Celebica (Choisy). Leaves ovate, lanceolate, acute : flowers axillary, solitary, near the ends of the branches: male — stamens 4 adelphous, androphores, thickly covered with anthers : female — stigma entire, concave, furrowed within, fruit globose.

The description of Rumph, Herb. Amb, 1, page 134, of the stamens of the male flower, is so precise as not to leave a doubt that this species, belongs to this section.

§ II. Anthers 1-celled, depressed— flattened above, dehiscing transversely.

5. G. Merguensis— R. W. Male — flowers axillary, fascicled: exterior pair of sepals minute, the interior ones large in proportion — female.

Merqui. — Communicated by Wm. Griffith, Esq. (No. 97, in Herb. Griff.)

Arborious, or shrubby, very ramous, leaves lanceolate, acuminated at the point: flowers numerous, small, fascicled in the axis of the leaves, fascicles 3-5 flowered, sepals 4, the exterior pair minute, bracteas-form, the interior pair large, and before anthesis completely enclosing the rest of the flower. Stamens very numerous, filaments united into four thick fleshy androphores, completely covered with sessile, flattened, 1-celled anthers, dehiscing transverselv across the apex. Abortive, pistil globose, capitate, glabrous, longer than the stamens. The female I have not seen.

Subgenus OXYCARPUS — Lour. Male — Stamens numerous, monadelphous, filaments united into a short, fleshy, 4-sided, sub-capitate androphore, covered with anthers ; with or without a minute, rudimentary pistil.