Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries Part 16

_May 21st_.--Went to Tsegai on an excursion: the hills in this vicinity are low, none exceeding 300 or 400 feet, dry and barren, chiefly composed of grey carbonate of lime, and in some places Kancha occurs. PaG.o.das are very numerous, but none are very large, or bearing the stamp of great age. A fine view of country is however afforded: large plains are seen to the east of the city, and between the hills and the river two large jheels are visible from the hills.

The vegetation almost entirely consists of low stunted, very ramous shrubs, and these are generally th.o.r.n.y. Not a tree visible except Bombax and Tamarindus, but this last is planted. A large subarboreous Cactus, spinosus, ramis 4 angulis, is common. Noticed four species of Capparis, and the following plants, Barleria, Prionitis, Tamarindus, AEgle, Zizyphus, Cocos; Bora.s.sus, Bixa, Cordia, Punica, Ricinus, Melia Azederak; Citrus Ca.s.sia, near houses and on the hills; Euphorbia 2, Ximenia, Cleome, Boerhaavia, Adhatode, Ca.s.sia sennoidea, Sidae, Andropogon, a lax Linaria common on old paG.o.das; Calanchoe, Sedum, Pommereulla, Vinca rosea, Tectona Hamiltoniana, but not of such size as at Male. Bambusa stunted and rare, Blepharacanthus, Polygala, l.a.b.i.atae 2, AEruae, sp. Fici one or two, an Alstonia, Celosia mollugo, Solani sp. Stemodia, Combretum, Heliotropium indic.u.m, and the Euphorbiacea of Mengwong. It will at once be seen that the vegetation has some similarity with that of the Carnatic, for in addition I found Asplenium radiatum, and Limonea Monophylla, a Carissa, Ximenia, Flacourtia, etc. etc.

Ava is a fine town, surrounded with an excellent brick wall: the streets are wide, and kept clean; the houses are regular, and as trees are interspersed, a pleasing effect is produced. The appearance is much improved by a lattice before each house. The houses also are of a superior description, a few only are of brick. The fort is surrounded by an additional wall, and a broad but shallow ditch. The palace is a handsome, irregular, gilt edifice; but its precincts are not kept so clean as they might be. The Shwottoo is a handsome hall. The town altogether conveys an idea of importance. The river is about 800 yards broad opposite the Residency; but above, it is encroached on by a sandbank. Boats are numerous, and opposite Tsegain there is a busy ferry, especially now the king is at Tsegain. This is a much preferable place, and rendered much more pleasing by its superb Tamarind trees, with their most elegant foliage and sculptured trunks. The plants cultivated about Ava are Palmyra, Cocoa (rare). Tamarinds abound; Carica Papaya, Punica Granatum; Mangoes, which are of good description; Cordia, Plantains, AEgle Marmelos.

The country is flat, and dest.i.tute of trees to the south and southwest.

The whole of this is cultivated during the rains, chiefly for Gram, Tobacco, Capsic.u.m, and a Melilotus. At present the plains are barren, the low places being almost exclusively occupied by a Combretum; the rest give a new Polygonum, Lippia, 2 or 3 Compositae, and a curious dwarf gra.s.s. On the walls Linaria is common. Noticed near one of the gates, Cryptostegia grandiflora; the waste places and banks are occupied by Argemone, Mollugineae three, Xanthium, Dentella, and low annual Compositae.

_May 26th_.--Visited Tsegain in the evening, and returned to Ava on the following morning.

_May 27th_.--Noticed Phoenix sylvestris. The Euphorbia is common; it is not a Cactus, but a species of this genus, ramis complanatis, is found though not common; as well as an Agave or Aloe, but this is a doubtful native. Poinciana pulcherrima, both red and yellow, Rhus? sp. arbuscula, Vallaris solanacea. A small Lycopodium, Gmelina asiatica? The additional Madras plants are, Cissus quadrangularis. There is likewise another fleshy species fol. 3 phyllis, Sarcostemma viminale, Indigofera, Kalanchoe laciniata is common; so is the white Cyperacea on barren spots!

I met with Sarcostemma ciliatum; Wall.? petalis extus viridescent, intus ciliisque purpuro sanguinies, but it is rare. Cardiospermum p.u.b.escens is certainly distinct, the flowers are twice as large as those of C.

Halicacab.u.m, fructibus inflatis vix alatis, ovalibus, dehiscentia septicida, septis axi adnatis, persistentibus. Semin. solitarii centro loculi affixis, pisiparvi magnitudine, atris.

NOTE.--Where any discrepancy occurs with regard to the native names in the preceding Journal, it is requested that such may be corrected from the Report to Govt. Chapter VII. p.115.

[The view from Beesa: p109.jpg]

CHAPTER VI.

_Botanical notes connected with the foregoing Journal_.

(_February 19th_.--The finest view of the hills from Upper a.s.sam is obtained on a reach or turn of the river just above Palankar, the river bending to the NNE. Snow is plentifully seen on one back range from the Sugar-loaf peak. Another reach shortly after presents a fine view of the Burrampooter chasm, terminated by the rugged peak so distinctly seen from Suddiyah, due east. This view might be chosen, as a general characteristic of the Scenery of Upper a.s.sam.

It embraces the Mishmee mountains to the left, the higher peaks of which are covered with perpetual snow. These lie to the NNE. of Beesa. To the east, is the continuation of the Himalaya, to the South-east and South, the Patkaye, and Naga ranges; the whole forming a panorama, rarely if any where surpa.s.sed in beauty. Temperature. of the river at 6 A.M. 67 degrees

_Musa_. Many flowers from the axil of a bract; no bractioles interspersed, hence we may expect racemose or spicate partial inflorescences. The perianth is unilateral, 5 cleft, the two smaller segments, which are intermediate, being internal, or belonging to a different series. Within this petaloid perianth is a membranous one, together with a boat-shaped bracteolate body, entire. The stamens are five, evidently opposite to the segments of the petaloid perianth, staminibus adnatis, the sixth is not developed, but is rudimentary, and exceedly minute, opposite to the bracteoid body. The carpella three, alternate as they ought to be with the last series of stamina, and hence they are opposed to the larger and outer segments of the petaloid perianth, but this last point deserves further examination.

The base of the bracteoid sepal is filled with a gelatinous, sweet, transparent, unicoloured .5 fluid.

I am unaware whether this explanation has occurred to any body else.

It is curious as compared with Scitamineae, in which the posticous stamen is alone fully developed. Pl. 1. Fig. 3. _a_. bracteoid body, _b_.

sterile stamen, c.c.c. outer series, d.d. inner ditto.

The fact of the outer smaller laciniae belonging to a second series is not very apparent, but is corroborated by the evidently internal situation of the bracteoid scale, and by the evidently elevated lines visible in the inner.

(_April 3rd_, _1837_.--On march towards the Serpentine mines) the face of the perianth, corresponds to these smaller laciniae.

_April 7th_.--Thunbergia grandiflora has the pedicels of its flowers twisted, or not twisted, according to the situation of the flowers. Thus if the flower be so situated that the raceme has the direction of the axis, or in other words is erect, the pedicel is straight, but if the raceme, as generally happens, be pendulous, the twisting of the pedicel is resorted to, to secure the flower that situation which it would have, were the raceme erect.

The above is obvious in flowers which from elongation of the axis of inflorescence, have fasciculate or aggregate flowers. An obvious inference is, that the twisting of the pedicel is not of generic, nor of specific importance; and that it is capable of being produced artificially.

This resupination is not uncommon in the order; it is most evident in Thunbergia coccinea, in which the racemes are always pendulous. There is nothing, at least in this species, in the situation of the genitalia to account for the resupination.

Pedicelli demum apicem infra articulati, the inflorescence of this order is always centrifugal, the partial axis being invariably as well indeed as the general, disposed to dichotomy. Hence the very common presence of three bracteae to each flower, the central one presenting the leaf from whose axil the partial branch springs.

Stipulae--if the a.n.a.logy of these be difficult to ascertain, the structure and functions would appear to be as of leaves, in addition to the function of protection. In most cases they are certainly not double organs; in Naucleaceae they are apparently so. Can this be explained by supposing them to form a bud with four scales, the scales instead of being imbricate, being on one plane. Stipellae of Leguminosae are certainly single; these being all probably stipulate plants, are to be considered as having terminal buds, the buds being either totally, or partially protected by the stipulae. The difficult nature of ochreae of Polygoneae is certainly to be acknowledged, but they are similar to those of Costus, and hence not stipulae, but an extension of the margin of the v.a.g.i.n.ate petiole, from which veins are prolonged into it; the functions of these are not stomatose, since they are membranous, the veins being the only green parts.

I see no reason why the stipulae of Rosae are not to be considered as belonging to, or dilatations of the petiole. They have no distinct vascular fascicles to indicate a distinct origin. And further, in Lowea no stipulae exist.

_Jonesia_: pedicellis apice articulatis, basi bracteolatis, ideoque infloresc. magis composita esse debet; laciniis anticis? corollae?

perianth compositum, binatum praebentibus, emarginatio et situs stam 5ti rudiment. Staminis laciniis alternatis? basi in annulum, seriem 2 indicantem coalit. {111} The situation of the stamens is somewhat obscure, the two lowermost however alternate with the segments, the two intermediate being sometimes sub-opposite.

Of course if they be opposed, the perianth will be referrible to a calyx if not to a corolla.

_Lepidostachys_ or Scepa. Fruit dicarpillary, stigmata four, hence they are placentary not costoid. bilocular, loculis dispermis, ovula 2 pend; 1 abortiv. semiunceum, testa vix arillus obsacuit clause lutescens carnosa et ab nuclei inter adhaeren. Rad. sup. embryo junior viridis.

Stipulae cad. Gemmam oblegent.

_Homalineae_, Calycis; laciniae 4, petal 4, Glandulae 4 totidem sepalis oppositae. Connat; stamin 4, petal opposita; styli 4. Ovar non ext.

Arbor magna. foliis alternis stipulatis, paniculae racemoso-axillares, Flores minut. viridescent. Pet. et sep. fimbriat. aestiv. imbricat.

_Clematis_ has semina pendula.

The stipulae of Ficus obviously belong not to the leaves, their insertion taking place .5 a line above that of the petiole. Hence they belong as obviously to the elongation of the axis above the leaf; their coloration is curious, especially as they are green when young. Their vernation is conduplicate and plicate.

_Combretum_ presents several points in common with Rhamneae; valvate calyx, and tendency to want of petals; to Elaeagneae in calyx and furfuraceous scales; a decandrous Rhamneae would differ but little in flowers from Combretum.

_My idea_ of the origin of stigmata is proved to be correct by a Phyllanthus, the carpella of which are ovuliferous below, the upper part being fleshy, the stigmata are two to each, obviously corresponding to the placentary inflexions, while the sinus terminating the dorsal suture is totally naked; it is this which should bear the stigma if Lindley's view were correct.

The true place of Moringa seems to be near Xanthophyllum with which genus it has some remarkable points of resemblance, witness the papilionaceous corolla; unilocular stamina, their situation, ovary, placentation, and lastly glandulation.

To this Lindley has made an approximation by placing the order near Violarieae. Its chief difference from Polygaleae, is habit, foliation, and the perigynous insertion of corolla and stamina, and consequent union of the sepals. As in Xanthophyllum there is no alb.u.men.

(An additional Xanthop. which until to-day I have always taken for a Leguminosa.)

_Tamarindus_ cal 4 part.i.tus, sepals 2, superiorib. connatis. Pet. 3, vexillo, sepalo postico composit; opposit; stamen tria; sepalis 3, inferior opposita. Stylus aestivation deflexus.

Pedicelli apice articulat. Folii petiol. basi articulat. Stipulae minimae stipellae.

In Jonesia, there are no petals. Humboldtia comes near Tamarindus, through H. Brunonis, which agrees in calyx and petals.

Thorns of Prionites, what are they? They are axillary, and yet buds are produced between them and the axis. They have no connection with the leaves. Were it not for the buds above alluded to, I should say that they were abortive branches (bearing one pair of leaves) reduced to spines.

_Olacineae_. Certainly in habit, corolla, etc. Olacineae are allied to Aurantiaceae, but they are nearer akin to Santalaceae. The processes are indubitably modified stamina, with a great tendency to irregularity; in one species from Tagoung only three fertile, and five sterile stamina were observed: the three fertile generally, but not invariably, alternate with the petals.

To Santalaceae they approach in processes, valvate corolla, and placentation, also to Loranthaceae.

Eight stamina thus accounted for; when two opposed to petals, belong to outer series--also single one.

In Punica, the structure of the ovaria is highly curious. We find the bottom of the tube is occupied by two cells, partially filled with ovula, which are attached both to the axis and to the base, as well as to the lower part of the outer paries of each cell; so far, it does not depart from the order, for in Aplexus the placentation is tolerably similar.

Above these two, are 4-5 cells, filled with ovula, which are attached entirely to the outer wall of each cell, but the placentae however would seem to have an obvious connexion with the axis, although this is very doubtful.