placenta centrali insertis. Stylus viz ullus. Stigma peltatum, 5-angulum 
pruinosum. Bacca magnitudine Cerasi minoris, subglobosa, crustacea, 
lateribus parúm compressa, unilocularis, evalvis, plerumque disperma, rarò 
mono v. trisperma, basi calyce et apice stylo persistentibus instructa, crustá 
intús virenti nervis venisque plurimis peragretá. Semina subrotunda, sub- 
stantid pulposá copiosè tecta, subinde drupacea! aqua tepidá madida pulpa 
exit voluminosa, basi umbilico amplo orbiculato concaviusculo instructa : testa 
cartilaginea ; albumen magnum, corneum, pelliculá membranaceá arctè 
adherenti vestitum. Embryo erectus, axilis, lacteus : cotyledones ovales, sub- 
oliacee ; radicula cylindracea, obtusa, cotyledonibus subequalis, umbilico 
y > , y q 
obversa. D. Don. MSS. 
This very elegant tree is a native of Caraccas, whence it was intro- 
duced to the Imperial Gardens at Schonbrunn, where it flowered for 
‘the first time in November 1789, and a description and figure have 
been given of it by the elder Jacquin in his magnificent work on the 
Pu ofthat garden. A number of young plants were raised at the, 
ate Mr. Colvill’s nursery, in 1829, from seeds collected in Caraccas 
by Mr. Fanning, to whom I am indebted for specimens of the ripe 
fruit. The young plants were observed to vary a good deal in the 
breadth of their leaves, and as some of them produced flowers in the 
spring of 1834, they were found to agree precisely with the plant 
here figured, which blossomed about the same time in the stove of 
the Chelsea Botanie Garden, and which had been previously intro- 
duced from the continent under the name of Theophrasta latifolia. 
The plant loves a high temperature, and should be grown in a 
soil composed of equal parts of loam and vegetable earth, and plenti- 
fully supplied with water while in a growing state. 
The late Sir James Edward Smith has expressed, in Rees's Cyclo- 
eedia, a suspicion of this species being identical with the Eresia of 
Plumier, the Theophrasta americana of Linneus; but the latter 
having a large polyspermous fruit, and the former having seldom 
more than two seeds, completely sets the question at rest as to their 
specific difference at least. ! 
The Theophrasteacee, consisting of Theophrasta, Clavija, Jac- 
quinia, and Leonia, constitute a small group intermediate between 
Myrsinee-and Sapotee, being distinguished from the former by their 
polyspermous fruit, foliaceous embryo, extrorse anthers, and by the 
presence of coronary appendages alternating with the stamina, and 
which are to be regarded as the rudiments of a second series of those 
organs. Theophrasta agrees with the present genus in having ex- 
trorse anthers, but differs in its campanulate corolla, annular inclosed 
crown, and free stamina. ; 
The dried flowers and seeds of Clavija and Jacquinia when 
immersed in warm water emit an agreeable fragrance resembling 
that of the Primrose. D. Don. ’ 
‚For these valuable notes we are indebted to Mr. Don, who had an oppor- 
tunity of examining the specimen from which our drawing was made. We are 
only. erste pN with the plant from the accounts of Jacquin to which Mr. Don 
as referred. 
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