Mr. J. Miers on the Tribe Colletiese. 7 



squamosis, acutis, fusco-rubris, sericeis, ciliatis, linea trans- 

 versali connexis ; floribus 4-6, vel pluriinis, in singulam 

 gemmam conglomeratis, pedunculo calycis longitudine, to- 

 mentoso, tubo calycino turbinate, extus pubescente, intus 

 prsesertim infra stamina piloso, limbi laciniis 5, acutis, reflexis, 

 tubo brevioribus j petalis 5, niveis ; staminibus reconditis ; 

 ovario piloso ; fructu calyce marcido incluso et eo paulo lon- 

 giore, stylo piloso, acuminate — Chile, in Prov. centralibus. — 

 v. v. prope Limache, Concon, Quillota, et aliis locis. — v. s. 

 in herb. Mm. Paris. (Gay) ; in herb. Hook. (Cuming, 713 ; 

 Bridges, 433) ; ibid. (Banda oriental.?, Tweedie). Vernac. 

 Talguen. 



The trunk of the Talguen, on account of its hardness, is use- 

 ful for turning-purposes ; but it is mostly employed in Chile as 

 fuel in the mining localities, for which it is admirably adapted, 

 and is much sought for about the copper-works of Quillota, 

 Illapel, and Petorca. In some places the trunk grows to a 

 considerable size, and is preferred, on account of its indestructi- 

 bility when sunk in the ground, for the construction of the cot- 

 tages and ranchos of the country. Its spines are spreading, 

 J inch long, their acute tips being reddish ; the leaves are 6-9 

 lines long, 2-3 lines broad, on very short reflected petioles ; the 

 peduncles are nearly 2 lines long ; the tube of the calyx is of 

 the same length, and the lobes of its border are 1 line long. 

 The carcerule is a thin in dehiscent chartaceous shell, 2^ lines 

 long, 2 lines in diameter, enclosed by the free and somewhat 

 extended calyx, and is surmounted by the hirsute persistent 

 style, which is equal to it in length : it is rarely 2-locular, ge- 

 nerally by abortion only 1 -celled, in which case the axis with 

 the abortive cells form a prominent ridge that runs down one 

 side of the shell, and leaves a corresponding impression on the 

 enclosed seed. The seed is polished, of a dull brown colour, 

 oval, and somewhat compressed*. 



In Sir Wm. Hooker's herbarium I find a specimen, as above 

 mentioned, stated to have been found in the woods of the Uru- 

 guay, with a ticket in Tweedie's handwriting; but I suspect 

 that the ticket belongs to another specimen, which by mistake 

 has been changed, and that the plant came originally from Chile, 

 for I perceive no difference whatever between that specimen and 

 others collected in the latter country. It can hardly be imagined 

 that the same species of a genus so peculiarly Chilean should 

 be found at a distance of 1500 miles, in a different soil and 

 climate, with the lofty Cordillera of the Andes intervening, 



* A drawing of this plant, with analytical details, will be given in the 

 'Contributions/ Plate 11 b. 



