•Mr, Lindley on a New Genus of PlantSw ill 



iantherfp, and the union of the filaments by threes into a cup 

 surrounding the ovarium, are all characters that forcibly call to 

 recollection the genus Sterculia. The calyx, indeed, in that 

 genus is generally divided much more deeply than in the plant 

 now under consideration, and the antherae are usually seated at 

 the base of the ovarium; but, on the other hand, in Sterculia 

 colorata of Roxburgh, which, if a distinct genus, (Erythropsis) 

 as I am inclined to believe, is nevertheless next of kin to Ster- 

 culia, the calyx is of the same figure and divided in the same 

 degree, and the antherse are also combined in a capitate cup 

 inclosing the ovarium. If, however, we pursue this compa- 

 rison further we find that, with the characters now adverted to, 

 the similarity ceases ; in Sterculia there are no petals, the 

 calyx has a valvular not imbricate aestivation, the cells of the 

 fruit separate into distinct folliculi, and do not combine into a 

 solid woody capsule, and the seeds are destitute of wings. 



The fruit suggests so obviously some affinity with Ptero- 

 spermum, that it is next necessary to institute a comparison 

 with that genus. Stellate pubescence, a calyx divided into five 

 portions, five hypogynous unguiculate petals, and fifteen fertile 

 stamens united into a cup, seated on a stipitiform torus, and 

 surrounding the ovarium, a five-celled ovarium, a woody five- 

 celled capsule, with a loculicidal dehiscence, no axis, and 

 winged seeds ; all these characters are common to Pterosper- 

 mum and our plant; but on the other hand the points in which 

 they differ are of much importance. The aestivation of Pterosper- 

 tnum is valvate recurved not imbricate ; its calyx is five-parted, 

 not four — five-toothed ; its anthers have parallel not divaricating 

 cells, and are seated upon long distinct filaments, not sessile, 

 Hpon the outside of a capituliform cup ; and finally the petioles 

 of the leaves are not connected with the lamina by a thickened 

 space. The seeds are also winged at the apex, not at the 

 base, but upon this point it is not my wish to insist. 



If the comparison thus instituted with Pterospermum and 

 Sterculia be attentively considered, we cannot fail to remark 

 that the subject of these observations is nearly equally related 

 to both ; to Pterospermum in its petals and fruit, to Sterculia 

 in its calyx and stamens. It must, therefore, be stationed be- 

 tween those two genera, thus confirming the propriety of M. 



