374 Mr. MiERS on a new Genus of Plants 



longlssimis, tubum aequantibus, aestivatione spiraliter inclusis. Stamina 6, aequalia. 

 inclusa, libera, laciniis opposita, infra coronam orta; filamenta omiiino retroversa et 

 juxta tubi parietem deflexa, in laminas subpetaloideas complanata, cito contracta, de- 

 mum dilatata, apice profunde emarginata, lobulis 2 sejunctis terminata, margine utrin- 

 que lacinula lineari subulata sigmoidea suberecta notata ; antherae parvse, ovatae, 2- 

 loculares, loculis coUateralibus, subdivergentibus, dorso adnatis, longitudinaliter dehis- 

 centibus, ad apicem infra sinum emarginaturs positae, perianthium spectantes, et tunc 

 ob filamenti inflectionem pseudo-extrorsae, sed revera introrsee. Ovarium suburceo- 

 latum, perianthio adnatum, apice liberum, subconicum, 1-loculare, raultiovulatum ; pla- 

 centis 3 parietalibus. Stylus subbrevis, rectus. Stigmata 3, erecta, inclusa. Pericar- 

 pium carnosum, turbinatum, 6-sulcatum, perianthii ima basi circumscissa marcescente 

 marginatum, discoque apicali (stylo) demum operculatim deciduo terminatum, ora cir- 

 culari apice apertum, 1-loculare, polyspermum. Semina minuta, oblonga, fusiformia, 

 subcompressa, scobiformia, in placentis tribus parietalibus aggregata, erecta, et quoad 

 funiculum deflexum retroversa; testa laxa nucleo pauUo amplior, libera, diaphana, 

 areolis longissimis angustatis reticulata, costis parallelis valde prominulis, funiculo 

 reticulato, tenui, ejusdem longitudinis ; endopleura tenuissima, areolis magnis, paucis, 

 subangulatis cancellata; nucleus? (albumen?) grumosus, homogeneus?; embryonis 

 forma ignota. 

 Plantae Brasilienses, hyaliiuB, super lignum cariosum parasitica, rhizomate tuberoso, fibrillis 

 numerosis ; caule simplici, erecto, suhflexuoso, angulato, fere aphyllo ; flore solitario, 

 terminali, basi 2-4-bracteato, bracteolis brevibus, vel sub flore, vel in medio caule, erectis ; 

 perianthii tubo subhyalino, petalis roseis, sepalis flavis, corona luted margine auran- 

 tiacd ; fructu hyalino. 



1. Ophiomeris Macahensis, caule nudo, bracteolis 2-3 nis florem solitarium terminalem suf- 



fulcientibus, perianthio hyalino ; sepalis rosaceis. 

 Hub. Ad Macahe, Provinciae Rio de Janeiro. 

 Planta hyalina, 2-3-pollicaris. 



2. Ophiomeris Iguassuensis, caule subnudo medio bracteolis 3-4 iis specie! prioris duplo lon- 



gioribus in verticillum dispositis, flore solitario terminali nudo. 

 Hub. Ad Iguassii, Provinciae Rio de Janeiro. 

 Planta hyalina, vix poUicaris. 



Both these plants appear to be extremely rare, and were found by my son 

 growing upon the decayed trunks of trees in the deep shady forests, in distant 

 places, near the foot of the Organ Mountain range. Of the latter species I 

 obtained specimens in 1841 ; but at that time I was unable to comprehend its 



