548 
p- 49. N. répens, Ruiz et Pav. fi. per. 1. p. 60. t. 90. The 
figure in Smith’s icon. ined. exhibits much exserted anthers, and 
the figure of fl. per. a long exserted style, but the figure in 
Pet. Th. trist. has neither the anthers nor style exserted. There 
are therefore two distinct species confounded under this name. 
The specimens from Madagascar have pentamerous flowers (ex 
Rich.), and those from Java have acuter leaves, on longer pe- 
tioles than any other; these are probably specifically distinct. 
Depressed Nertera. Pl. creeping on the ground. 
2 N. apsu'rcens (Pet. Th. fl. trist. d’ac. t. 11.) stems root- 
ing at the base, but at length ascending at the points; leaves 
almost sessile, oval, undulated, with callous edges. 2/. F. Native 
of the Island of Tristan d’Acunha. Carm. in Lin. trans. vol. 12. 
p. 505. Erythrodanum majus, Pet. Th. fl. trist. d’ac. p. 42. A 
larger plant than the preceding. 
Rising Nertera. PI. creeping. 
3 N.? atstnoipes (Cham. et Schlecht. in Linnea. 6. p. 413.) 
leaves pubescent, and ciliated at first, but at length becoming 
glabrous ; peduncles axillary, deflexed when in fruit, about equal 
in length to the leaves; drupes juicy, globose. Y%.F. Native 
of Mexico, at Cuesta Grande de Jalacingo. Herb beset with a 
few stiffish white hairs. Drupe bluish-black, containing 2 coria- 
ceous 1-seeded pyrene. 
Chickweed-like Nertera. Pl. creeping. 
Cult. The species of Nertéra are small creeping suffruticose 
evergreen plants, of little beauty even when in flower; they 
grow best in a mixture of turfy peat and sand ; and are increased 
easily by separating the rooted creeping stems. They may be 
placed among the alpine plants in summer, but in winter they 
will require the protection of a green-house. They should be 
grown in pots well drained with sherds, placed in pans of water, 
RUBIACEÆ. CVII. Nerrera. 
CVIII. MITCHE’LLA (so named by Linnæus in honour 
of John Mitchell, M.D. a physician in Virginia, who described 
mary genera of Virginian plants, which were published in act. 
nat. cur. for. 1748). Lin. gen. no. 134. Juss. gen. 205. mem. 
mus. 6. p. 373. Lam. ill. t. 63. Gærtn. fil. carp. 3. p. 70. t. 
192. A. Rich. mem. soc. hist. nat. Par. 5. p. 220. D. C. prod. 
4. p. 452,—Chameedaphne, Mitch. gen. p. 17. but not of 
Buxb. 
Lin. syst. Tetrdndria, Monogynia. Calyx with an ovate- 
globose tube, and a large 4-toothed limb. Corolla funnel- 
shaped, with a terete tube, and a 4-lobed spreading limb, having 
the throat and lobes of the limb hairy inside. Filaments adnate 
to the tube, almost to the throat ; anthers ovate, hardly exserted. 
Style filiform; stigmas 4, inclosed. Berries almost globose, 
crowned by the teeth of the calyx, containing 4 horny 1-seeded 
pyrenze each; and sometimes containing 8, when 2 berries are 
combined. Albumen somewhat cartilaginous. Embryo minute, 
erect, with very short cotyledons.—American glabrous creeping 
evergreen herbs, with the habit of Linnæ'a or Nertéra. Leaves 
roundish or ovate. Stipulas small, solitary on each side. 
Flowers axillary and terminal, sometimes combined by twos at 
the tops of the peduncle, and sometimes solitary and sessile. 
1 M. re'vens (Lin. spec. p. 161.) leaves roundish; flowers 2 
on the top of each peduncle, combined; berries combined. is 
H. Native of North America, from Boston to Carolina ; Upper 
Canada ; and of Mexico between Pueblo-Viejo and Real del 
Monte, in shady woods at the roots of trees, and among moss.. 
—Pluk. alm, t. 444. f. 2.—Cat. car. t. 20.—Petiv. gaz. t. 1. f. 
13. Corollas white, tinged with purple, usually 2 together on 
the top of each peduncle, and seated on two combined ovaries ; 
the flowers are sometimes @lso combined, and therefore 8-cleft, 
according to the obs. of Torrey. Berries red, insipid. 
Creeping Mitchella. Fl. June. Clt.1761. Pl. cr. 
2 M. ova'ra (D, C. prod. 4. p. 452.) leaves ovate, acutish ; 
CVIII. MITCHELLA. 
CIX. MEPHITIDIA. 
flowers solitary, sessile. Y.-F. Native of South America, in 
humid places at the foot of the burning mount Tunguragua, in 
the kingdom of Quito. Flowers white, solitary, not by twos, 
Nertéra tetraspérma, H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer, 3. p. 
379. Spreng. syst. 1. p. 492. exclusive of the synonymes. 
Ovate-leaved Mitchella. PI. cr. 
Cult. These are small creeping evergreen plants of very little 
beauty; they will grow very well in a peat border, or in pots 
filled with a mixture of peat and sand, placed among other 
alpine plants; they are easily increased by separating the creep- 
ing stems. 
CIX. MEPHITI'DIA (from mephitis, a damp of the earth; 
in reference to the ungrateful smell of the shrubs). Reinw. in 
Blum. bijdr. D. C. prod. 4. p. 452.—Lasianthus, Jack, in Lin. 
trans. 14. p. 125. Blum. bijdr. p. 995. A. Rich. mem. soc. 
hist. nat. par. 5. p. 210. but not of Lin. i 
Lix. syst. Tetra-Hexándria, Monogýnia. Limb of calyx 
3-6-parted or toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, regular, 4-6- 
cleft, for the most part hairy. Stamens 4-6, inserted towards 
the throat ; filaments very short ; anthers linear, exserted or in- 
closed. Stigmas 4-9, linear, thick. Drupe baccate, crowned 
by the permanent calyx, containing 4-9 triquetrous coriaceously 
arillate 1-seeded pyrenee.—Shrubs or subshrubs, natives of In- 
dia, usually with an ungrateful smell. Flowers crowded or in 
dense heads, axillary and terminal, bracteate. Drupes usually 
blue.—This genus, according to Blume, is nearly allied to An- 
cylanthus and Psathira. 
* Limb of calyx 3-6-parted. 
1 M. cyanoca’rpa (Jack, in Lin. trans. 14. p. 125. under 
Lasidnthus,) plant suffruticose, hairy ; leaves oblong, acuminated, 
attenuated at the base; flowers usually by threes, involucrated 
by bracteas. h. S. Native of Sumatra and Java, m shady 
places on the mountains. Blum. bijdr. p. 996. Bracteas cor- 
date. Corollas yellow, ex Jack, whitish, ex Blume. Berry 
blue, pilose, size of a gooseberry. 
Blue-fruited Mephitidia. Shrub. i lant 
2 MÌ arrenva'ra (Jack, l. c. p. 126. under Lasidnthus,) plan 
suffruticose, villous ; leaves oblong, attenuated at the apex, but 
roundly cordate at the base, glabrous above; flowers axillary, 
$-4-together, almost sessile, involucrated by lanceolate bec 
h.S. Native of the interior of Bencoolen. Calyx 4-partec. 
Corolla yellow, pilose. Berries deep blue, smaller than those 
of the preceding species. 
Attenuated-leaved Mephitidia. Shrub. i 
3 M. iwxava‘us (Blum. bijdr. p. 996. under Lasianthus, as 
well as all the following species, ) shrubby, hairy ; leaves oblong, 
acuminated, unequally rounded at the base; flowers axillary, 
crowded, involucrated by bracteas. h. S. Native of Java, 00 
mounts Salak and Seribu. Corolla white. 
Unequal-leaved Mephitidia. Shrub. Á 
4 M. rmnocerdris (Blum. bijdr. p. 996.) shrubby ; ere 
oblong, acuminated, rounded at the base, glabrous above, w 
hairy beneath, as well as the branches and calyxes; non 
crowded, axillary. h.S. Native of Java, in the higher woo 
on mounts Salak, Gede, &e. Corollas white. 
Horn-snouted Mephitidia. Shrub. 
5 M. carrra`ra (Blum. bijdr. p. 996.) shrubby; leaves ae 
long-lanceolate, acuminated, attenuated at the base, g 
above, and hairy beneath, as well as the branches, pedunciess 
and calyxes; heads of flowers pedunculate, axillary. “lye 
Native of Java, in woods on the mountains. Flowers white. 
Capitate-flowered Mephitidia. Shrub, 
6 M. romento'sa (Blum. bijdr. p. 997.) shrubby ; 
long, long-acuminated, acute at the base, glabrous above; 
leaves 0b- 
but 
