272 



Pedunculi axillares, brevissimi, uniflori vel biflori. Masc: 

 Cal. ad basin fere quadrifidus, laciniis ovatis munitis, 

 coloratus, persistens. Pet. 4, obovata, patula, caduca: 

 Filamenta 8, brevia, pilosa, receptaculo carnoso inserta: 

 Antherm oblongae, didymse vel sagittatae, dorso ad germen 

 versse, flavae. F^m. : Cal. et Cor. ut in mare. Germina 

 4j contigua, unum vel duo saepe abortientia : Stylus bre- 

 vissiniLis aut nullus: Stigmata 4, patentissima, subulate. 

 Stam. 8, brevissima, abortiva, hirsutissima, disco, ad basm 

 germinisj insidentia. DrupcB 4, (sed vix unquam ad 

 maturitatem perveniunt,) subglobosse, basi acuminatse vel 

 breviter pedicellataj, patentissimae, niaturae punice«, 

 magnitudine Cerasi minoris. Nux compressa, obovata, 

 bivalvis, rugosa, unilocularis. Semen suspensum, sub- 

 ovatum, compressum. Albumen paucum, tenue, carnosum. 

 Embryo magnitudine fere seminis: Radicula parva, su- 

 pera : Cotyledones planae, foliacese. {Nicholson in Utt>) 

 Dr. Nicholson, together with an interesting collection of 

 plants from the Island of Antigua, was so obliging as to 

 communicate specimens and a drawing of the plant which I 

 have here given, under the idea that it might be a new species 

 of Simaruha, of the Natural Order of Simanibea. On 

 consulting, however, the figures of the genus Castela, belong- 

 ing to the closely allied order of Ochnacecs, it is quite evi- 

 dent that it belongs to that genus, and I am anxious to 

 dedicate the species to its discoverer, from whom we confi- 

 dently expect still more valuable inforniation relative to the 

 botany of Antigua. 



The only two species of this genus hitherto known, are 

 given by Turpin in the 7th vol. of Annales du Huseuni 

 d'Hist. Naturelle, p. 78. t. 5. f. a and b. The one species, C 

 depressa, has reflexed leaves, cordate at the base, and glabro|is 

 stamens; while the second, C. ercda, found indeed in the 

 Island of Antigua by Richard, is distinguished by infra-axil- 

 lary spines, and by its brown, not at all hoary and downy 

 branches. It is quite clear, therefore, that our preset 

 species cannot be confounded with them. Dr. Nicholson 

 observes, that « it is a beautiful little shrub, especially when 



■1 T 



