Mr. J. Miers on some genera of the Icacinaceae. 177 



"vation. Emmotum offers also another peculiarity in its ovarium 

 with three radiate cells, placed excentrieally on the somewhat 

 gibbous and anterior side of the ovarium. These points of struc- 

 ture are so different from the development met with in other 

 genera of the Icacinacece, as naturally to lead to the suspicion 

 that Emmotum may not belong to this family; but we must 

 remember that in other respects it accords, viz. in its exstipulate 

 alternate leaves, small flowers with a persistent unchanged calyx, 

 petals with valvate aestivation, alternate stamens, simple style, 

 and suspended collateral ovules. I have therefore retained the 

 genus doubtfully, as a separate tribe of the Icacinacea {ante, S. 3. 

 vol. ix. p. 223), until its true place in the system can be 

 ascertained, which will be determined by a knowledge of the 

 structure of the fruit and seed and the form and position of 

 its embryo. The name, I presume, has been derived from 

 £v and jjbOTo^j linteum, on account of the densely intertwined 

 hairs that line the petals, a character that also suggested the 

 name of Pogopetalum. These hairs, when examined under the 

 microscope, appear flattened and covered with numerous promi- 

 nent transparent glandular dots as in Lereiia, The following is 

 sxi outline of its generic features : — 



Emmotum, Desv. Pogopetalum, 5ew#A. — F/ores perfecti. Calyx 

 brevissimus, 5- rarius 4-dentatus, liber, fructifer immutatus. 

 Petala 5, rarius 4, lineari-oblonga, carnosula, intus ad cari- 

 nam longitudinalem pilis rufis ssepius longis et crispatis den- 

 sissime barbata, sestivatione valvata, mucrone apicali introflexo. 

 Stamina 5 vel 4, petalis alterna, iis vix breviora, omnino libera ; 

 filamenta carnosula dilatata, incurva, apice repente acuta ; an- 

 ther ce 2-loculares, connectivo crasso, interdum loculis utrinque 

 sejunctis breviores, vel ssepe in mucronem subulatum incur- 

 vulum ultra loculos subantrorsim positos producto, imo cor- 

 dato affixee, loculis membranaceis, cymbseformibus, evalvibus, 

 margine posteriori a conjiectivo omnino soluto hinc extrorsim 

 dehiscentibus. Pollen ovale, longitudinaliter sulcatum. Ova- 

 rium liberum, oblongum, subgibbum, pilosum, disco hypogyno 

 parvo sistens, 3-loculare, loculis excentrice radiantibus ; ovula 

 in quoque loculo 2, juxta apicem appensa et subcoUateraliter 

 superposita. Stylus excentricus, erectus, teres. Stigma e den- 

 tibus 3 brevissimis erectis minutum. Drwpa globosa, abortu 

 1-locularis; csstera ignota. — Frutices Guianenses et Brasi- 

 lienses sempervirentes ; folia alterna, exstipulata, coriacea, In- 

 tegra, nitida, subtus tomentosa ; cymse fasciculatce, axillares, 

 multiflorce ; flores parvi, aggragati, cum pedicellis brevissimis 

 articulati, bructeati. 



Ann. ^ Majg, N. Hist, Sen 2, Vol x. 12 



