IliORA OF THE ISTHilUS OF PANAMA. 77 
minute linear bract, and are again subdivided, eacb branchlet bearing three or four alternate flowers on 
abort bracteated pedicels, the flower scarcely exceeding half a line in length and breadth. In the female 
plant, the leaves in every case are distinctly opposite, and the cupular nodes on -which the petioles are 
articulated meet across the stem by a horizoutul haiiy Hue, bearing the false appoarauce of scars of fallen 
interpetiolar stipules: the blade is quite flat, considerably more acute at both Citremitics, from 3^ to -ij 
inches long, and 1^ to If inch broad, the junction of the prmiary pair of nerves with the midrib being G or 
8 lines distant from the base of the petiole, where they are clothed ^vith a tuft of long stiff yellow hairs ; 
the petiole measures only 3 or 4 lines, and the opposite axillary short compound racemes are about lines 
in length. 
In the male flowers, the three outer sepals are equal, oblong, acute, i of a line in length, supported by 
two alternate, similar, but smaller bracts ; the three inner sepals are much larger, alternate with the others, 
fleshy, BOmc^\-liat triangular, with a rather obtuse reflected apex, the margins being valvate in aestivation, 
and afterwards still conuivent at base : internally they are marked by a deep groove down the middle, and 
two other lateral and more shallow furrows : ^ the sepals and bracts are smooth inside, and pubescent 
exteriorly. The six stamens, nearly as long as the inner sepals, spring from the central torus in two series, 
being erect and quite free ; the three outer, being somewhat shorter and more slender, are alternate with, 
while the three others are opposite to, the inner sepals : the filaments are almost terete, fleshy, somewhat 
sigmoid, with the apex turning outward, all slightly carinated and hairy along the external face ; each at its 
apex bears two oval convex anther-lobes, which are separate, and half-imbedded on its two opposite sides ; 
each lobe ia bilocellate, and as their two valves contract from the line of dehiscence down their middle, 
they gape open by a longitudinal chink, and exhibit the septum to which the separated margins of the 
valves had been united. Although everj^ flower had fallen off in the female phint, it was discernible from 
the examination of some extremely young bads, that they consisted of six sepals, the inner series being 
linear, with three free ovaria in the centre, bearing an almost obsolete style, and a seasile, obtuse, hairj^ stigma ; 
at their base were seen three very minute scales, supporting a two-lobed gland, which were probably sterile 
stamens upon very short filaments ; but they were in a state far too much undeveloped to ascertain their 
ultimate form. 
It will be seen, from the above analysis, that in its male floral structure Batschia accords both with Ahuta 
and Anelasina; judging from the imperfect indication of its female structure, it would, however, seem to be 
distinct from Ahuta ; and we are as yet unacquainted with the female flower of Anelmma. In habit 
Batschia differs equally from both these genera. In Anelmma the leaves are remarkably thick and fleshy, 
quite glabrous, with a perfectly smooth surface, three-nerved from the base, with the nervures proceeding 
in nearly a straight line towards the apex, quite immersed in the fleshy parenchyma on both sides, as are 
also the veins ; and the blade is supported upon a rather long, very stiff, glabrous petiole, which is extremely 
tumid at both extremities. The male inflorescence consists of a fascicle of numerous, very slender, glabrous, 
lengthened, branching racemes, proceeding out of each axil, and from the general appearance of the speci- 
mens they seem as if they belonged to erect trees rather than to climbing plants. In Ahuta, the leaves 
are generally much larger, usually more rotund in form, always extremely pubescent or thickly tonientose 
beneath, three-nerved, the lateral nerves being branched with numerous, strong, paraUel nervelets, directed 
at a considerable angle towards the margin, near wliich they are united together by arched lines: these 
nervures are all intersected by transverse, raised, reticulated veins, all being extremely promment below, and 
very tomentose : the petiole is generally very long, sHghtly thickened at each extremity, and densely 
tomeutoae. The male racemes are of extreme length, with long branches, and are also covered with thick do\vn. 
Batschia therefore will be seen to differ both from Ahuta and Anelasma in its three- to five-nerved 
leaves - they however resemble those of Ahuta in texture and then: convex form, but they varj- in bemg 
almost gkbrous, with a different nen^ation and smooth short petioles ; its female plant presents the very 
unusual character of opposite leaves and opposite racemes, which are very short. For these reasons, 
