48 iv. menispermace^e (oliver). {RJrigiocarya. 



fruit, which Mr. Miers has described under the above name. Neither <$ nor 

 $ flowers have been seen. The few drapes which we have are all loose, 

 and whether solitary or several to each flower is doubtful. They are oblong- 

 ellipsoidal, slightly compressed, about 7 lines long and 4-5 lines broad. The 

 outer layer of the back of the pericarp resolves itself in decay into a closely 

 echinate surface, hence the name. The seed is oval-oblong, meniscoid ; the 

 condyle nearly as long as the seed, with a cavity of 3 lines. Mr. Miers de- 

 scribes the seed as albuminous and the embryo with divaricate cotyledons. 

 The solitary leaf is cordate and about 5 in. ' broad ; the inflorescence a ra- 

 ceme of about the same length. This plant may be a Tinospora or, perhaps, 

 and more probably, Ghasmanthera 7iervosa t Miers. 



9. TRICLISIA, Benth. in Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 39. 



Sepals 9-15, 6-12 outer imbricate in 2-4 series, successively larger, the 

 outermost minute, 3 (or 6) inner sepals larger, valvate in aestivation. Petals 

 (or 6, reduced to minute teeth). Male fl. : Stamens 6 or 3, free; the 

 anthers incurved bilocular apiculate or muticous, the cells divergent or nearly 

 parallel, dehiscing longitudinally. Eudiment of the ovary reduced to a 

 fascicle of hairs. Female flowers not seen. Drupes (only known in one im- 

 perfect specimen, probably numerous, "3?" according to Mr. Bentham) ob- 

 liquely ovoid, scarcely compressed, scar of the style lateral (or nearly ter- 

 minal?). Putamen bony, neither chambered nor intruded excepting as a 

 slightly prominent transverse ridge across the inner face at the hilum. Seed, 

 according to Mr. Bentham, reniform, exalbuminous ; embryo with fleshy, 

 semicylindrical, nearly conferruminate cotyledons. — Climbers. Leaves broadly 

 ovate cordate or orbicular. Flowers pilose externally, paniculate cymose 

 or densely clustered in the axils of the leaves. 



A genus based upon the four following imperfectly-known species. Female flowers have 

 not been seen in any of them, and loose drupes of but one have been described, so that 

 additional specimens may materially modify their relations to each otber. 



Stamens of male flowers b", free. 

 Leaves ample, ovate-cordate, acuminate. Male flowers in very short 



often fasciculate racemes or cymes. Three inner sepals valvate . . 1. T. macropht/Ho- 

 Leaves broadly elliptical or rotundate, mucronate or subacute ; base 



slightly cordate or broadly rounded, entire. Male flowers apparently 



sessile, closely fascicled. Three inner sepals valvate 2. T. subcordata. 



Leaves orbicular or broadly elliptical, shortly apiculate or emarginate ; 



base rounded or truncate. Male flowers in dense axillary fascicles. 



Six inner sepals valvate, in two seines, nearly equal 3. T. coriacea. 



Stamens of mate flowers 3. 

 Leaves broadly elliptical or ovate ; base cuneate or rounded. Male 



flowers paniculate 4. T. ? patens. 



1. T. macrophylla, Oliv. Young branches with a deciduous, rusty, 

 appressed pubescence. Leaves rather coriaceous, at length glabrous except- 

 ing on the rusty very prominent nerves beneath ; 6-10 in. long, 4|-7 in- 

 broad. Petioles thickened and usually abruptly curved at the top, 1-2 in. 

 long. Male fl. : imbricating sepals about 12," outer very minute; ioner 



