DI{. M. T. MASTERS OK A NEW GENUS OF BrETTNEllIE.^. 27 



As to tlie pistil, it is subject to many modifications. As examples 

 may be mentioned the unilocular (by abortion) pistil oiWaltheria, 

 the verticillatepluricarpellary arrangement of J/a7ra,^5i^^i7on, while 

 inMalopefxad other genera the carpels are arranged in convex heads, 

 very different in outward appearance from the capsular-fruited ge- 

 nera, such as Hibiscus, the indehiscent pods of Adansoma, or the suc- 

 culent-fruited Malvaviscus. Generally the number of styles corre- 

 sponds to the cavities of the ovary; but inPavoiiia there are twice as 

 many styles as loculi. In those instances where the carpels equal 

 the sepals in number, they are sometimes placed opposite to the 

 sepals, as in Melhania, Sermannia, Donibeya, Cheirostemonj Senra ; 

 but more generally they alternate with the sepals, e,g, Melochia, 

 Urena, &c. ' 



The variation in number of the carpels may be accounted for, 

 as Dr. A. Dickson has suggested, by considering the carpels 

 to be compound, like the stamens ; and the diversity in rela- 

 tive position may be satisfactorily explained by supposing that 

 the antipetalous carpels are developed in some cases, the anti- 

 scpalous ones in others, Pavonia affording an illustration of an 

 intermediate condition in which the perfect carpels are some- 

 times antiscpalous, and the abortive ones (represented by the 

 styles only) are antipetalous ; at other times, in other S2)ecies of 

 the genus, the converse arrangement occurs*. 



Oil Scaphopetalum, a new Genus ^Buettnerieoe. 



Amono tbe many interesting plants collected by Mann in 

 Western Equatorial Africa (lat. 1° N.) are representatives of 

 three species, constituting, as I believe, a new genus oiBiiettnericw, 

 closely allied to Tkeobroma, but distinguislied from it and other 

 neighbouring genera by the absence of an appendage to the petals. 

 The late Mr. Allan Black had noted in the Kew herbarium that 

 two of the species now to be described belonged to a new genus 

 '^ near 3L/rodia ;" but he does not appear to have affixed a name to 

 the genus, or to have published any notes concerning it. As 

 considerable interest attaches to the plants, both in a morpho- 

 logical point of view and also with reference to geographical dis- 

 tribution, I avail myself of the present opportunity, with the 



gical interest, but to be of physiological importance, if I may judge from wliat 

 takes place in a species of Bombcya (B. Masfersii, Hook. B. M. tab. 5G30), whore 

 the staminodes appear to wipe out the pollen from the anthers and convey it to 

 the stigmas. See Gardeners' Chronicle, 1867, p. 14 (sub D. angidata). 

 * Dickson, Trans. Bot. Soc. Ed. vol. viii. p. 229. 



