Tab. 4194. 

 SMEATHMANNIA laevigata. 



Smooth-stalked Smeathmannia. 



Nat. Ord. PASSIFLOBJEiE. — Polyandbja Pentagynia. 



Gen. Char. SMEATHMANNIA, Soland. Perianthium duplex, utrinque 

 5-partitum ; exterius semicalycinum persistens, interius petaloideum, marcescens. 

 Urceolus simplex, membranaceus, ex ipsa basi perianthii. Stamina numerosa, 

 distincta, apici columnar brevissimee genitalium inserta. Styli 5. Stigmata pel- 

 tata. Capsula inflata, 5-valvis. Semina axibus valvarum inserta. — Frutices 

 Africa cequinoctialis. Folia alterna, simplicia, subdentata, stipulis lateralibus 

 (utrinque solitariis geminisve) distinctis, callosis. Flores axillares, subsolitarii, 

 pedunculis quandoque brevissimis, bad bibracteolatis. Urceolus abbreviatus, ore 

 denticidato. Filamenta simplici serie, viginti circiter. Antherae incumbentes, li- 

 neares. Capsida chartacea. Semina axibus filiformibus valvularum mbsimplici 

 serie inserta, pedicellata, punctata, omnino Passiflorae. Br. in Linn. Trans, v. 13. 

 p. 221. 



Smeathmannia laevigata ; ramulis subsericeis, foliis oblongis grosse serratis 

 basi in petiolum perbrevem attenuatis apice acuminatis glaberrimis nitidis, 

 urceolo inciso intus piloso. 



Smeathmannia laevigata. Soland. MSS. in Herb. Banks. Brown, I. c.p. 221. 

 Be Cand. Prodr. v. 3. p. 322. 



A rare and remarkable genus, consisting of upright (not climb- 

 ing) shrubs, with white scentless flowers, nearly allied to PassiJIora ; 

 first made known by Mr. Brown who described three species, 

 S. pubescens (Sol.) distinguished by its downy branches and its 

 broad leaves, which are very obtuse at the base and scarcely acute 

 at the summit; our present species; and 8. media, which our 

 learned friend remarks may perhaps be a variety of the present. 

 Our specimens, both cultivated and native (gathered by Miss 

 Turner, daughter of the late Govenor-General Turner, and by 

 Mr. Whitfield) do not entirely agree with the character of S. lavi- 

 ffata, for the branchlets as well as the flower-buds are evidently 

 silky, and the urceolus of the flower is both fringed at the mar- 

 gin, and beset with hairs on the inside. The name was given 

 by Dr. Solander in compliment to Mr. Smeathman, an African 

 Naturalist and Traveller, who detected the three species defined 

 by Mr. Brown. 



NOVEMBER 1ST, 1815. 



