natural Family of Plants called Composite. 117 
in his Bidens nivea are for the first time distinguished: and lastly 
this genus, as named and determined in the work of Michaux, is 
adopted by Persoon in his Synopsis. 
= But as both Von Rohr and Richard have given only the natural 
character of the genus, and the essential character proposed by 
Persoon is not altogether satisfactory, I have added the following, 
and adopted the more generally received name of 
MELANANTHERA. 
( Richard) in Michaux Amer.ii.p. i06. Melanthera Von Rokr in Kio- 
— benh. Naturhist. Selskab. bind. ii. hefte 1. p. 213. Amellus 
cafa Browne Jam.317. Bidentisspecies Linn. Calezespecies Jacquin. 
Involucrum duplici serie polyphyllum, subæquale. Receptaculum 
paleaceum, convexum, paleis foliaceis. Flosculi tubulosi, uni- 
formes, hermaphroditi. Achenium turbinatum angulatum ver- 
tice depresso. Pappus e setis (2—18) scabris, distinctis, deciduis. 
Herbæ (Americe equinoctialis et temperate) pubescentes, scabra. 
Folia opposita, indivisa v. sublobata. Capitula terminalia, pe- 
dunculis unifloris, elongatis, ternatis, geminisve. Involucrum foli- 
aceum. Receptaculr hemispherici paleæ foliolis involucri subsi- 
_ miles, Corolle albide. Anthere nigricantes, appendicibus apicis 
albidis, basi mutice ; paulo post expansionem corolle exserte, dein 
( contractione filamentorum ) fauce incluse. Stigmata appendice 
acuto hispidulo, post retractionem tubi antherarum exserta ; de- . 
mum subinclusa*. | 
Oss. In Von Rohr's natural character of Melanthera the E. 
rium, or gland ular body sheathing the base of the style, is intro- 
duced, 
* [n the extensive collection of plants made by my lamented friend Dr. Smith, on the 
banks of the Congo, I have observed a Syngenesious genus, which, though belonging to 
Polygamia superflua and having yellow flowers, is in other respects so nearly related to 
Melananthera, that had it been found with ripe seeds only, it would certainly have been 
referred 
