224 Mr. Brown's Account of a new Genus of Plants, 



That such was probably the case, occurred to me on first in- 

 specting the flower-bud ; the opinion being suggested not only 

 by the direct origin of the flower from the root, but more parti- 

 cularly by the disposition, texture and colour of the bracteae ; in 

 which it so nearly resembles certain plants known to be para- 

 sites, as Cytinus, Cynomorium, Caldasia of Mutis*, Balanophora, 

 and Sarcophyte. 



In this opinion I was confirmed on seeing the figure of the 

 plant mentioned in Dr. Arnold's letter, as probably related to 

 the Great Flower, though not more than three inches in dia- 

 meter. 



The plant in question, which had been found in Java by Dr. 

 Horsfield several years before the discovery of Rafflesia ArnoldL 

 only, however, in the unexpanded state, is represented in the 

 figure referred to as springing from a horizontal root in the same 

 manner as the Great Flower ; like which also it is enveloped in 

 numerous imbricate bracteae, as having a perianthiumof the same 

 general appearance, with indications of a .similar entire annular 

 process or corona at the mouth of the tube, a pustular inner 

 surface, and a central column terminated by numerous acute 

 processes. It is therefore unquestionably a second species of 



* Ix^i the Journal of Science, vol. iii. p. 127, from El Semanario del Nuevo Reyno 

 de Granada, for 1810. To this genus belong Cynomoritim jamaicense, and perhaps 

 cai/aneitse of Swartz, an unpublished species from Brazil, and some other plants of 

 5 j-. ,'iioctial America. Before the appearance of Caldasia in the Journal of Science, 

 I was aware that these plants formed a genus very distinct from Ciftiomorium (Jour- 

 nal of Science, iii. p. 12Q.), but I had not given it a name, which is still want- 

 ing, that of Caldasia having long been applied to a very different" and well known 

 genus. 



The new name, however, may be left to M. Richard, who is about to publish, and 

 who will no doubt illustrate with his usual accuracy, the plants formerly referred to 

 Cynornorium, of one of the species of which (Ccayanense) he is himself the disco- 

 verer. 



the 



