220 Mr, Brown's Account of a new Genus of Plants, 



of Passiflora itself; or of other genera of the order, as Deiclamia, 

 in which the inner series of segments is wanting. Thus, they agree 

 essentially, and even remarkably, in aestivation of perianthium : 

 the corona of Raffiesia may be compared with that of Murucuia, 

 and the two annular elevations at the base of the column with the 

 processes of like origin and nearly similar form in some species 

 of Passiflora. The affinity is also supported by the position of the 

 stamina on a central column. 



The peculiar structure of antherae in Raffiesia can hardly be 

 regarded as an objection of much weight to the proposed asso- 

 ciation ; and it will at least almost equally apply to any other 

 family with which this genus may be compared. 



If the concentric processes on the disk of the column in our 

 plant are to be regarded as indications of the number and dispo- 

 sition of pistilla, or of the internal structure of ovarium in the 

 female flower, they present a formidable objection to its affinity 

 with Passiflorece, in all of which the ovarium is unilocular with 

 parietal placentae. If, however, these processes were considered 

 as inner series of imperfect stamina, the objection derived from 

 their number and arrangement merely, would be comparatively 

 slight ; for in some genera of Passiforea, particularly in Smeath- 

 mannia*, the stamina are also numerous and perhaps even in- 

 definite. It 



* As Smeathmannia forms a very remarkable addition to the order in which I have 

 proposed to place it, and is still unpublished; 1 shall here give its characters, and add 

 a few remarks in support of this arrangement. 



SMEATHMANNIA. Soland. Mss. in Biblioth. Banks. 

 Ord. IN at. Passiflorea3. Br. in Tuckeys Congo, p. 439. 

 Syst. Linn. Polyandria Pentagynia. 

 CHAR. GEN. Ferianthium duplex, utrumque 5-partitum ; exterius semicalycinum per- 

 sistens ; interius petaloideum marcescens. Urceolus simplex, membranaceus, ex 

 ipsa basi perianthii. Stamina numerosa, distincta, apici columns brevissimse ge- 

 nitalium inserta. Styli 5. Stigmata peltata. Capsula inflata, quinquevalvis. 

 Semina axibus valvularum inserta. 



Frutices 



