489 
TRADESCANTIA fuscata. 
Stemless Spiderwort. 
—W— 
HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. COMMELINER. Brown prod. 1. 269. 
TRADESCANTIA. Cal. 3-phyllus, æqualis, persistens. Cor. 3- 
petala, wqualis. Stamina filamentorum pilis articulatis. Stylus simplex, 
stigmate tubuloso. Capsula supera, trilocularis: semina pauca dorso vel 
latere embrionifera. Gertn. sem. 1. 51. 
Herbe. Folia basi vaginantia, alterna, nervis parallelis. Involucrum 
conduplicatum foliiforme, inflorescentiam long? exsuperans, v. bracteola ob- 
soleta, v. plan? nullim. Flores ephemeri, modò biseriato-distachyi monosta- 
chyive, rarò solitarii: bracteis interstineti. Genus omnind eziracuropea- 
num. 
T. fuscata, acaulis, ferrugineo-hirsuta; foliis ellipticis acuminatis pedunculis- 
jue 1-3-floris? radicalibus. 
Tradescantia fuscata. Loddiges's bot. cab. 
Acaulis. Folia plura, lata, crassiuscula, radicalia, ambientia, recum- 
bentia, patentia, 3-4-uncialia v. ultrà, lanceolato-elliptica v. ovata, ferru- 
gineo-hispida nervis longitudinalibus utrinque convergentibus, pubescentiá 
4 prono densiùs hirsutd: petioli breves, canaliculato-convoluti subtús hispi- 
dissimi. Pedunculi radicales, 1-3?-flori multàm breviores foliis, erecti, his- 
pidi. Calyx ferrugineo-hirtus, segmentis oblongis. Genitalia alba. 
The Commelinex, of which the present genus is a co- 
ordinate, were comprised in the Juncec of Jussieu, but have 
been since detached by Mr. Brown, and the group defined 
by the following character. Calyx three-parted. Corolla 
of three petals, with the ungues sometimes connate (united). 
Stamens six or sometimes fewer, hypogynous (inserted be- 
low the pistil), a part of them often either antherless or 
with othershaped anthers. Germen 2-3-celled, with few- 
seeded cells: style single: stigma single. Capsule 2-3-celled, 
2-3-valved, valves septiferous (partitionbearing) along their 
middle: seeds generally two, and inserted at the inner 
angle of the cell. Embryo trochleate (pullied or like a 
short cylinder constricted at the middle), sunk in a hollow 
of the solid-fleshed albumen opposite the umbilicus. All 
the genera consist of herbaceous plants with leaves that are 
generally sheathing at the base. 
Trapescantia differs from CowwELINA in having six 
uniform anthers. 
