CONSPECTUS TABULARUM. ¥6 
repand, with prominent, gland-like denticles, sometimes lacero-dentate, 
either obtuse or acute, the upper surface sparsely, the lower densely, 
hispid with simple hairs. Male spikes on long, hairy peduncles, many- 
flowered, lengthening, and finally 2 inches long, or more. Flowers 
sessile; perianth 4-parted, with imperfectly valvate wstivation, hairy 
on the outer surface, smooth within. Stamens 4, alternate with the 
segments, inserted at the base of a small, giand-like, abortive ovary. 
Female flowers in short, oblong, few-flowered, or sub-capitate, pedun- 
culate spikes. Perianth asin the male. Stamens none. Ovary hispid, 
unilocular, crowned with a sessile, multiradiate, subindusiate stigma ; 
ovules in pairs (one generally abortive), pendulous from the apex of the 
cell. Drupe oblong, hispid, 2 inch long. 
This curious plant has received three generic names, besides that now 
adopted, which was given by Hooker, in 1831, to an East Indian species 
of similar floral structure. Its affinities have been repeatedly discussed ; 
but the question remains unsettled. No doubt it is closely allied to 
Arnott’s Phytoerenee, to which Planchon refers it, but from which 
Brown (in P/. Horsf.) has rejected it. To me, both Phytocrenee and 
Pyrenacantha seem to constitute a very degraded type, allied to Pass?- 
Jloracee rather than to Artocarpee or Olacinee ; and the Cape genera, 
Acharia and Ceratiosicyos will serve to connect them with the more deve- 
loped genera of Passifloracee. Their placentation may be regarded as 
parietal, reduced to its simplest condition. 
Fig. 1, Pyrenacantha scandens, male plant, the natural size. Fig. 2, a male flower 
opened; 3, reverse view of a stamen ; 4, female flower, of which the ovary is considerably 
advanced; 5, vertical section of an ovary. The latter figures enlarged. 
XXIV. BERGIA DECUMBENS, Planch. (£latinacee.) 
B. decumbens: caule suffrutescente diffuso glabro v. apice setuloso 
opposite ramoso, foliis remotis lanceolatis sessilibus argute serratis acutis, 
stipulis setaceo-subulatis ciliatis, cymulis axillaribus paucifloris foliis 
multo breyioribus, pedicellis floribus longioribus, sepalis acuminatis 
mucronatisque, petalis obovato-oblongis, obtusiusculis. 
Has.—Macallisberg, Burke & Zeyher. (Herb. T. C. D.) 
- Duscor.— Root woody, perennial. Stems several, decumbent, 1-2 feet 
long, with short, opposite, ascending branches. Older stems terete with 
a dark brown bark; younger 4-angled, glabrous, except near the ends, 
where they are sparsely-hispid. Leaves 1-1} inch long, 1-2 lines wide, 
opposite, about an inch apart, often with axillary fascicles, linear-lan- 
ceolate, sessile, acute, sharply serrate. Stipules subulate, 3-{ inches 
long, serrate and ciliate. Cymules axillary, subsessile few-flowered ; 
bracts membranous, toothed or ciliate. Sepals sharply subulate, ribbed. 
Petals obovate, obtuse or subacute, about as long as the sepals. Sta- 
mens ten, the petaline shortest, the others with dilated bases. Ovary 
5-lobed and celled; styles 5. Fruat ? 
