MR. BENTHAM’S SYNOPSIS OF LEGNOTIDES. 65 
Synopsis of Legnotidee, a tribe of Rhizophoracee. 
By Gxzonaz Вкнтїїм, Esq., F.LS. 
(Read March 4th, 1858.] 
Among the plants of the great East Indian collection distributed 
by the late Dr. Wallich, is one from Heyne’s Peninsular Her- 
barium, entered in the catalogue under the number 6320 as 
Blepharistemma corymbosum, Benth. I have no recollection nor 
any record of having ever given it that name, and I feel certain 
that I never examined it. The specimen which I received from 
Dr. Wallich in 1832 has remained ever since unnamed in my 
herbarium, but meeting with it accidentally a short time since, 
and ascertaining that it bore a name supposed to have been given 
by myself, I have been led to examine it in detail, and to pass in 
Teview the allied genera forming the small but interesting group 
of Legnotidec, a tribe of Rhizophoracee. Although most of these 
genera have been well described by Arnott, Blume, Korthals, Asa 
Gray and others, yet as they have not all been brought together 
n а comparative form, I am induced to lay before the Linnean 
Society a short synopsis of the tribe. 
The Legnotidee agree with the true Rhizophorec in their opposite 
undivided leaves with interpetiolar stipules, their axillary inflo- 
rescence, valvately lobed calyx, perigynous petals ofteri fringed or 
divided at the top and folded over the anthers in the bud, their 
Perigynous definite stamens with versatile 2-celled anthers, their 
8everal-celled ovary with two or more collateral or clustered pen- 
dulous ovules in each cell (rarely one-celled by the disappearance 
of the dissepiments between the placentas), and in their simple 
style with a capitate or discoid stigma, either entire or radiating 
into as many lobes as placentas. The chief difference consists in 
the seed, which in the true Rhizophoree is exalbuminous, the 
embryo germinating and forcing its radicle through the pericarp 
Whilst still adherent to the tree; whereas in the Legnotidee the 
embryo is imbedded in a fleshy albumen. In the true Rhizophore@ 
the seed-bearing part of the ovary is inferior or adnate to the 
base of the calyx ; in the Legnotidec it is either inferior, or superior 
and free with the exception of the broad base. 
With regard to the affinities of Legnotidee as illustrating those 
of ЁМгорһогасее, there is little to add to those suggested by 
R. Brown in the Appendix to Tuckey's ‘ Congo,’ p. 437, and con- 
firmed by subsequent observers,—a general affinity with Cunoniacee 
and with Lythracee. With the former, Legnotidee agree in their 
LINN. PROC.—BOTANY. pe oe ee 
