Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 2.djvu/263

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.

139 In addition to the above, it only remains for me to remark that generally they exhibit a decided prediliction for sub-alpine forests, which may in some degree account for their non- appearance on the African continent ; the interior mountains, having been as yet imperfectly explored and the same fact will, I think, account for so few having as yet been found in Ceylon and the Southern Provinces of India. Linnaeus only knew one Indian species of the order, his Samara Iceta, De Candolle only 9 in 1833, and now my Herbarium has about 20 species, figures of 10 of which I have published.

On this head little is known, the fruit of some of the species possess considerable pungency and it is said, that those of Embelia ribes, which resemble black pepper are occasionally used to adulterate that article. The fruit of a species of Samara are called in Tamil 'Devil's pepper' indicating its possession of pepper-like properties.

Dr. Royle mentions that the fruit of Embelia robusta and Myrsine bifaria, are esteemed gently purgative by the inhabitants of that part of the country where they are indigenous. Upon the whole it appears, so far as present information extends, that they are deficient in active properties.

The order is divided into three very distinct groups by A. De Candolle, namely, Mcesece having the ovary inferior and many-seeded fruit — Embeliece ovary superior : corolla polypetalous — and Ardisiecp, ovary superior : corolla monopetalous. The first of these contains one genus, the second two, Embelia and Samara (Choripetalum, D. C), and the third 18, six of which have Indian representatives. Of these six, two only, Myrsine and Ardisia, so far as I am aware have been found in the southern provinces. These are distinguished at first sight by their inflorescence, in the former fascicled along the branches, in the latter more or less distinctly panicled or thyrsoid.

The genus Samara (Lin.), has long been an enigma. Dr. Arnott lately cleared up the doubts which hung over it by an examination of the original specimen. The genus was origin- ally established on a specimen now actually existing in the Linnean herbarium, and was well denned, but the author, at the same time, quoted as a synonym, a figure which had no relation- ship with the plant before him. The plate being well known, but not the specimen, it in course of time came to be quoted as the authority for the genus and the original specimen of the plate being subsequently examined was found not to correspond with the generic character. This in place of suggesting the suspicion that Linnaeus had merely committed an error in his synonym, was held as a proof that no such genus as he defined existed, and on that supposition A. De C. constructed his genus Choripetalum which, as shown by a comparison of the two generic characters, is identical with Samara, hence the latter, being the older name, must be retained to the exclusion of the other.

1. Ardisia polycephcda (Wall.), flowering branch, nat. size.

2. Flower-bud ready to expand.

3. Expanded flower.

4. Corolla detached and split open, showing the sta- mens opposite the lobes of the corolla.

5. Anthers back and front views.

6. Calyx and ovary.

7. Ovary detached.

OF PLATE 145.

8. Ovary cut vertically showing the free central placenta.

9. cut transversely.

10. A mature fruit.

11. The same cut transversely showing the solitary seed and remains of numerous aborted ovules ; the embryo lying transversely across a copious horny albu- men.

12. Embryo detached.