Mr. J. Miers on some genet^a of the Icacinaceae. 399^^^ 



Desmostachys_, gen. uov. — Flares perfect!. Cahjx minimus, 



brevissime cupulatus, 5-dcntatus, ciliatus, persistens. Petala 



b, sequalia^ hypogyna, lineari-oblonga, membranacea, extus 



pilosa, sestivatione valvata, apice inflexa, sub anthesi patentia. 



Stamina 5_, longitudine petalorum et iis alterna; filamenta 



tenuiter linearia, raembranacea, apice attenuata, disco inter 



lobos alternatim extus inserta ; anther a oblongse, 2-lobaj, 



' 4-locellat8e, imo breviter 2-fid8e, dorso medio affixse, lobis 



^ membranaceis, singulatim 2-locellatis, demum septicidis et 



longitudinaliter evolutim dehiscentibus. Ovarium liberum, 



ovatum, villosum, disco cupuliformi obtuse 5-lobato suffultum, 



1-loculare; ovula 2, juxta apicem loculi superposita, podo- 



spermio crasso subcollateraliter suspensa, anatropa. Stylus 



"^ erectus, gracilis, glaber, pellucido-punctatus. Stigma obsolete 



• iobatum . Fructus ignotus . — Frutex scandens Madagascar iensis ; 

 ^ folia alterna, ovata, coriacea, glaberrima, petiolata ; racemi 



plurimi, axillares, spicati, gracillimi, pauciflori, folio subbre- 

 vioreSj floribus minimis, sessilibus, bracteatis. 



1. Desmostachys Planchonianus, n. sp. ; — scandens, ramulistere- 

 tibus, Isevibus; foliis cuneato-ovatis vel lanceolato-oblongis, 

 apice brevissime et repente attenuatis, crasso-coriaceis, utrinque 

 lucidis et glaberrimis, supra Isete viridibus, subtus pallidis, 

 nervis venisque valde reticulatis prominentibus, margine revo- 

 lutis, petiolo brevi, brunneo, rugoso, inflexo, canaliculato ; 

 racemis in axillis 5-8-fasciculatis, spicatis, gracillimis, pubes- 

 centibus, folio brevioribus, floribus minutis, alternatim sessili- 

 bus, petalis virescenti-flavidis. — Madagascar)'^ «i' in herb» 

 Lindley {Forbes), in herb. Hook. [Lyall). - i • 



Among the several specimens I have seen of this plant, some| 

 have their leaves quite ovate, others nearly lanceolate, but as' 

 their shape varies in the same plant, they must all be considered 

 as one species. It is described as climbing upon other trees, in 

 the Province of Be-Zemcharak : the leaves are thin and coria- 

 ceous, shining, very reticulated, of a very light green colour 

 above, from 2^ to 4 inches long, and from 1^ to \^ inch broad, 

 upon a thin incurved petiole, with a dark brown corrugated sur- 

 face : from 4 to 8 slender spikes grow out of each of the upper 

 axils, measuring 1 inch to 1^ inch in length ; the flowers are 

 alternately arranged, are quite sessile upon the slender pubes- 

 cent peduncle, and are 1 line long, with a minute pubescent 

 bract at the base of each*. 



* A drawing of this species with figures of its floral analysis, will be 

 giVen in plate \) of the * Contributions to Botany,' &c. 



^i '' '11' ' fj lv.'•I'^)^'.^0 il 



