123 



1 



pulcherrime crispata, apice subniucronulata^ basi breviter 

 unguiculata* Stamhia in marginem calycis tubi inserta, 

 5 petalis opposlta, 5 alterna. Filamenta longiuscula, dc- 

 clinata. Anfherce niajuscula?, oblonga*, lateraliter com- 

 pressse, intense flavte, basi sensim curvatae, apice poris 

 duobus debiscentes. Germen basi calycis accrctum. 

 Stylus longus, filiformis, deorsuin curvatum. Stigma 

 truncatum, Fnictus : Bacca globosa, niagnitudinc fructus 

 Psidii Cattleyani^ aurantiaca, glabra, bilocularis (fide 

 Iconis CL Guilding,) apice saepe periantliii vestigiis co- 

 ronata. Loculi pulpo purpureo repleti et sa^pissime dis- 

 permi, nunc monospermi. Semvia fusca, ovalla, subangu- 

 lata. Albmnen nullum. Hadicula ad hilum seminis versa. 



The plants to which the subject of our present description 



IS unquestionably very nearly allied, are the Mouriri guianen- 

 sis of Aubl. {Petaloma of Sw.) and the Petaloma myrtiUoides 

 of Fl. Ind. Occ. They have all the habit, and, in a great 

 measure, the fruit, too, of the MyrtacecB : but with the num- 

 ber of stamens and the structure of anthers, of the greater 

 number of MelastomecE. From the Petaloma of Swartz, how- 

 ever, our plant differs remarkably in the structure of the 

 calyx. In the state of the bud there is no appearance of 

 sutures, indicating where the calyx will open, the whole bud 

 having the appearance, upon a large scale, of the capsule of 

 the genus Phascum^ among mosses. The gradual enlargement 

 and developement, however, of the Corolla, stamens and style 

 within, cause it to burst, which it does in a most irregular 

 manner, into two or three angular pieces. The petals, too, 

 differ from Petaloma^ inasmuch as they are very broad towards 

 the extremity, and at the base contracted into a short claw. 



For a splendid drawing of this plant, and a complete and 

 satisfactory analysis of the parts of fructification, I am in- 

 debted to the Rev. Lansdown Guilding of St Vincent, to 

 whom I am anxious to dedicate the genus, in testimony of 

 Jiis great acquirements in Natural History, and of his hav- 

 ing so successfully investigated the Botany of the island in 

 which he resides. 



