a new Natural Order. 409 



lower petal, corresponding to the emarginate apex of the double calycine 

 segment, is in fact narrower than the rest, and represents a kind of labellum, 

 analogous by its position to the small abortive petal of Melianthus major. A 

 somewhat hippocrepiform gland embraces the base of the back of the two pos- 

 terior stamens, which are half connected together, while the other two are free ; 

 the whole of the andraecium and disc being thus the very image of the cor- 

 responding parts in Melianthus. In both, the quaternary number of the 

 stamens is in strong contrast with the quinary proportion of the petals and 

 calycine segments ; the disc is in both incomplete and excentric, opposite to 

 the posterior stamens, and placed outside of their filaments, the vacant place 

 of the fifth not developed stamen being opposite to the posterior sepal; so 

 that, when we come to Bersama, where the quinary proportion and the 

 regular alternation of all the verticils of the floral parts is a constant and 

 usual character, we find there exemplified, by a living demonstration, what 

 the laws of symmetry led us to conceive of the normal state of the flower of 

 Natalia and Melianthus. 



What has been said of the three genera in question will perhaps appear 

 sufficient to justify their combination into one natural order, to which the 

 name of Melianthece may be applied. It remains still to point out the distinc- 

 tive marks which, according to their importance, may be deemed either of 

 generic or of sectional value in these plants. A large, coloured, remarkably 

 irregular calyx ; four of the petals in part connected by their claws ; the 

 stigmatic toothlets of the style very small; a capsule of a papyraceous tex- 

 ture ; two ovules at least, and sometimes four or six in each cell ; and seeds 

 destitute of arillus ; — these are the characteristic features which distinguish 

 the section of Eumelianthece or Melianthece proper ; while the slighter irre- 

 gularity of the flowers, the free petals, thick stigmatic lobes, coriaceous cap- 

 sule, solitary ascending ovules, and arillate seeds will obviously define the 

 section of Bersameoe, including Bersama and Natalia. 



As to the less important features, a few words suffice to express the distinc- 

 tion between the two last-mentioned genera: Natalia has, like Melianthus, 

 four stamens, two of which are quite free ; Bersama, on the other hand, more 

 strictly symmetrical in its structure, has its five stamens equally connected 

 by the broad bases of their filaments. 



3 h2 



