Mr. J. Miers on the yenus Lycium. 3 



the Ancles within the latitudes of Chile ; the latter district, how- 

 ever, has been very little explored, and there is every reason to 

 believe it will be found by far the most prolific in number of spe- 

 cies of any quarter of the globe. 



According to M. DunaPs distribution of the genus, I find it 

 absolutely impossible to determine the sections to which this 

 large number of new species should be referred. He divides 

 Lycium into four sections, Schistocalysc, Eulycium, Amblymeris, 

 and Lyciobatos : Schistocalycc, distinguished by its calyx cleft to 

 the base, comprises only two species, which I have shown do not 

 belong to Lycium* ; Amblymeris, another new section, is pre- 



* Hvj. op. xi. 97. The first plant (my Salpichroma ciliatum. 111. So. 

 Araer. PI. i. p. 9 and 133; Lycium ciliatum, Schl.) is distinguished by its 

 alternate pointed leaves, nearl}^ as broad as long, almost cordate at base 

 upon a short petiole, with ciliated margins, and covered with short jointed 

 hairs, solitary axillary flowers with the peduncle afterwards reflected, its 

 calyx split to the base into distinct linear segments covered with glandular 

 hairs, especially on its margins, its corolla externally pubescent, with a short 

 tube, and a border of 5 triangular reflected segments, the mouth of the 

 tube closed by a densely villous ring of hairs around the place of insertion 

 of the exserted stamens, the berry encircled by the longer enlarged calyx : 

 such characters are foreign to Lycium, but closely correspond with Salpi- 

 chroma, especially with its section Perizoma ; this is strongly indicated by 

 the triangular segments of the corolla, showing a valvate aestivation, while 

 those of Lycium are always very rounded, and remarkably imbricated ; this 

 again is farther confirmed by the total absence of any induvial remains of 

 the corolla after its fall, which is a constant feature in Lycium. The cha- 

 racters of this plant appeared to M. Dunal so different from others of that 

 genus, as to draw from him the expression " an genus diversum ? *' I think 

 there can be little doubt of its being allied to S. rhomboidea (111. So. Am. 

 PI. pi. 1). 



In regard to the second plant, L. serpyllifolium. Dun., I observe, from M. 

 Dunal's description, that its leaves are not fasciculated, its flowers are soli- 

 tary and furnished beneath the calyx with narrow linear bracts, its calyx is 

 split to the base into linear segments, its filaments are recurved at the apex, 

 and its anthers subhemispherical and ciliated, with divaricated lobes ; these 

 are all characters quite foreign to Lycium, and more appertaining to Scro- 

 phulariacece. 



Since the above was written, t have seen the original specimen in Dr. 

 Burchell's collection, and find my previous inferences fully verified. As the 

 plant is yet otherwise undescribed, I will here annex its characters : it is 

 difficult to imagine upon what grounds it could have been referred to 

 Lycium. 



Peliostomum serpyllifolium. Lycium serpyllifolium, Dun. in DC. Prodr. 

 xiii. 509; — sufFruticosum, ramis e basi erectiusculis, subvirgatis, rugosis, 

 striatis, albescentibus, ramulis brevibus, glabris, apice rigide et obsolete 

 pubescentibus, foliosis ; foliis alternis, viridibus, ovatis obovatisve, sub- 

 obtusis, in petiolum brevem attenuatis, crassis, enerviis, glaberrimis ; pe- 

 dunculo axillari, brevi, uniflori, bracteolis 2 setiformibus, oppositis, infra 

 calycem gerente, calycis persistentis sepalis 5 linearibus, rigide puberulis, 

 corolla cal)ce 3-plo longiore, tubo supra basin contracto, demum obconico, 

 hinc late ampliato, nervis plurimis lineato, rigide glanduloso-pubescente, 

 limbi laciniis 5, rotundis, reticulato-venosis et maculato-pictis ; capsida 



1* 



