Mr. Cole Brooke on the Indian Species of Menispermum. (il 



Male flower: Racemes lateral, 1 — 4 together, simple, round. 

 smooth. Flowers in pairs, or three-flowered fascicles, scat- 

 tered on the raceme ; green, inodorous. Pedicels slender, 

 divergent. Bractes minute, ovate, fleshy, concave ; numerous 

 at the base of the raceme, and solitary at the foot of the fas- 

 cicle. Perianth three-leaved : leaflets ovate, minute. Petals 

 three, oval, spreading. Nectary six-leaved. Leaflets cuneate, 

 reflex, inserted on the outside of the filaments near the base. 

 Filaments six, filiform, spreading. Anthers four-sided. 



Female flower on a different plant, llacemes lateral, solitary : 

 girt at the base by intricate scales of the germ as bractes. 

 Flozcers single. Calyx and corol as in die male. Nectary six- 

 leaved : leaflets ovate, inserted at the foot of the rudiments of 

 stamina. Filaments six, short, sterile, embracing the receptacle 

 of the germs. Germs three, ovate, elevated on a hemispheri- 

 cal receptacle. Styles scarce any. Stigmas torn. Drupes one 

 to three : ovate-globular, smooth, pale-orange, size of an olive, 

 sessile on a fleshy receptacle ; one-celled. Rind thin, leathery ; 

 with the nut attached by a process from within, penetrating 

 the umbilical pit of the putamen. Pulp gelatinous, transpa- 

 rent, easily detached from the rind, but closely investing the 

 putamen. Nut unequally reniform : the inferior extremity 

 more pointed, long, thin, externally rugged, smooth, white, 

 two-valved ; girt by a longitudinal ridge along the suture ; 

 with an umbilical pit opening into a reniform pervious recess 

 formed by a duplicature or continuation of a bony putamen. 

 Seed solitary, reniform, externally smooth, with an ample ori- 

 fice opening into a furrowed cavity. Perisperm conform to the 

 seed, almond-fleshy, milk-white, one-celled, composed of pto 

 concentric lamina? : the inner one excavated, and internally 

 furrowed. Embryo shorter than the perisperm, interposed 

 between its lamina?, inverse, curved. Cotyledons oval, three- 

 nerved, 



