THE FLORA OF SOUTH AMERICA. 321 
SALPICHROA. 
Under this name it is proposed to class several plants that 
have been hitherto arranged in Atropa, the limits of which 
genus remained for a long while undefined, many species 
having been referred to it, and again removed by different 
botanists. Its character, as given by Professor Spenner (Gen. 
Pl. Germ. p. 21, tab. 18) upon the typical species A. Bella- 
donna is deficient in so far as regards all the South American 
species. That offered by Prof. Endlicher (Gen. Pl. n. 3857) 
has evidently been framed with the intention of embracing 
the whole of these, amounting to about ten, which, however, 
include two other very distinct forms; of these, four will be 
classed in Salpichroa, and the remaining six under the name 
of Hebecladus.* The plants before mentioned possess a calyx 
. * They are all remarkable for their conspicuous flowers presenting an 
intermediate tooth in the plicature between the lobes of the corolla. The 
generic name of Hebecladus is derived from »/99, pubes, kXadoc, ramus tener, 
in allusion to their habit, which much resembles that of Salpichroa, but is 
more suffruticose. The following elements for a generic character have 
been taken from the species I have examined in the dried state. 
HznEcLADUs, Gen. nov. Calyx brevis, profunde 5 partitus, laciniis ovatis 
submembranaceis, l-nerviis, venosis, persistens, Corolla infundibuli- 
formis, tubo amplo calyce 2-6 plo longiori, fauce ampliato, limbo patenti- 
. Sinuato, 5 lobo, lobis acutis, sepissime dentibus interjectis, æstivatione 
basi valde plicatis. Stamina 5, imo corollæ inserta, filamentis filiformi- 
bus, glabris, basi dilatatis, antheris exsertis, cordato-oblongis, adnatis, 
2 lobis, longitudinaliter dehiscentibus, polline albido. Ovarium subro- 
» glabrum, (disco nullo?), 2 loculare, placentis dissepimento 
adnatis, pluri-ovulatis. Stylus simplex, exsertus. Stigma clavato- 
capitatum, sub 2-lobum. Bacca globosa, parva, calyce membranacea 
suffulta. Semina plurima in pulpam nidulantia, compressa, reniformia, 
testa reticulata. Embryo intra albumen carnosum hamato-arcuatus, 
Cotyledonibus semiteretibus; radiculi tereti, infernè paulo crassiora, 
duplo longiori, hilum petente. Suffrutices Americe intertropice, ramulis 
subdichotomis, flexuosis, teneris; foliis plerumque geminis, altero viz mi- 
nori, ovatis, ellipticis, vel cordatis, integris, petiolatis, Inflorescentia 
pedunculo solitario laterali, cernuo, floribus 1-2 vel plurimis, umbellatis, 
. Tübris, flavis, vel rubro viridescentibus. Bacca alba, pisi magnitudine. 
. | Hebecladus viridiflorus, Atropa viridiflora. H, B. K. 3, 11, tab, 196; 
