RUBIACEZ OF CENTRAL AMERICA. 45 
either contain or are traversed by mycelium. e. Portion of peri- 
thecium, showing the external wall and more delicate base. 
Fig. 13. a. Woody fibres containing mycelium, from the split surface of 
the piece of Arctic Elm. 4. Distorted fibres from the sawed surface. 
c. A portion of a fibre from the same surface, filled with mycelium. 
Fig. 14. Spheria fibritecta. a. Perithecia more or less exposed. 4. Asci 
and sporidia. c. Sporidia drawn to the same scale as mentioned 
above. 3 
CENTRALAMERIKAS RUBIACE;£, etc. (RuBIAGEX of Central America.) 
By A. S. OgzgsTED. Communicated the 12th May, 1852*. Trans- 
lated from the Danish, by Dr. WArrLrcn, V.P. Royal and Linn. Soc. 
The family of Rubiacee, which in temperate zones consists of only 
small and unattractive herbs, mostly weeds, performs a very important 
réle between the tropics, on account of its extent of species, amounting 
frequently to one-thirtieth of all the Phanerogams; the number and 
magnitude of each species, many of these being large trees, and form- 
ing a principal feature of forests; and lastly their utility, various mem- 
bers of the family contributing essentially to the wealth of the countries 
which they inhabit, f. i. Coffee, Peruvian bark, and Ipecacuanha. This 
observation applies in full to the Rubdiacee of Central America, notwith- 
standing only a limited number of their species is known, owing to our 
imperfect knowledge generally of its flora. Although several botanists 
and collectors have visited this part of America, their sojourn there has 
either been very transitory, or they have paid no particular attention to 
those localities which are especially productive of characteristie and 
striking vegetable forms. Until very recently the entire eastern slope 
of the country, covered with one immense primeval forest, has remained 
in that as well as in all other respects, a terra incognita. The Bohemian 
Thaddeus Henke, whom the Spanish Government sent in 1789 to ac- 
company Malespina on his celebrated expedition to America, but missing 
him, made journeys on his own account, was the first botanist, as near 
as is known, who examined Central America, namely Panama (Reliquie 
Hænkeanæ, 1826-1835). Bertoloni has described a small number of 
plants from the northern Central America (Florula Guatemalensis) ; 
| '* The Association of Natural History at Copenhagen is here meant.—TRanst. 
