New Genus of Plants ^ named Macraa, 105 



1. — tJl. grandtfolia ; foliis subtus griseis glandulosis : venis prominentibus, 

 ramis pubescentibus, pedunculis foliis brevioribus. 



Sponte ciescentem juxta vicum Colitia, urbis Santiago finitimum legit 

 M'Rae, 1825 (v. s. sp.) 



2. — M. parvifolia ; foliis subtus niveis glandulosis : venis obscuris, ramis 

 arachnoideis, peduriculis folio brevioribus. 



Cum praccedente legit M'Rae (v. s. sp.) 



3. — M. rosea; foliis distantibus subtus niveis eglandulosis, ramis pubescenti- 

 bus, pedunculis elongatis. 



Ad Cumbre, Andium claustrum, Novembre floridam legit M'Rae (v. s. sp.) 



In the absence of information respecting the structure of the 

 seeds of Macrsea, it is not practicable to arrive at any certainty 

 as to its affinity. Its structure, indeed, is so peculiar, that it 

 may be doubted whether, even with the seeds before us, its 

 station, in a natural system, would be positively determined. 



In many circumstances it bears much resemblance to Cary- 

 ophylleae, with which it agrees in its opposite leaves, terminal 

 and axillary flowers, five-toothed monophyllous calyx, unguicu- 

 late petals, with a twisted aestivation, and stamens inserted into 

 a torus ', but it is at variance with the whole order in habit, single 

 style, and trilocular oligospermous capsule, the valves of which 

 separate from the axis. With Lineae it has nearly the same 

 points of resemblance and difference. 



To Cistinese it has a striking resemblance, in the nerves of 

 its calyx, which are remarkable, and also in the variation of its 

 opposite exstipulate leaves : its anthers have also a similar in- 

 sertion ; but the monophyllous calyx, unfading petals, definite 

 stamens inserted on a torus, and three-parted stigma, are all at 

 variance with the essential diagnostics of Cistineae. 



With Frankeniaceae, Macraea agrees, in having a monophyl- 

 lous ribbed calyx, and arid habit, and also in several other 

 points of structure ; and with this order I was at one time 

 disposed to place it, but a further consideration of the great 

 difference between their fruit has led me to abandon that 

 opinion, especially upon a consideration that the similarity, 

 supposed to exist in the ribbing of their calyx, is more apparent 

 than real. In all the species of Frankenia that I have examined 

 there have been, to each division of the calyx, two collateral 

 broad costae placed on each side of the axis, which, therefore, 

 as well as the space between the sinuses and base of the calyx, 

 Avas ribless. But, in Macraea, on the contrary, each division 



