122 Mr. Lindley on Diplogenea, 



with the calyx np to the point where it is covered by a flat or 

 slightly concave fleshy disk ; it apparently contains four cells, 

 with numerous minute ovula attached to placentae in the axis. 

 The style is falcate, and thickened upwards ; the stigma is a 

 simple point. Of the fruit nothing is known. 



It will have been already remarked that in many particulars 

 this genus exhibits the common structure of Melastomaceae, 

 and that in fact it is very nearly related to, if not identical with, 

 Conostegia. But there is a remarkable peculiarity in Diplo- 

 genea, which renders it impossible to associate it with any known 

 genus of Melastomacere. This consists in the presence of re- 

 ceptacles of oil lying under the cuticle among the parenchyma, 

 a character which it has been hitherto supposed that no Me- 

 lastomaceous genus possesses, and which has been always em- 

 ployed as one of the chief distinctions of Myrtaceae. I do 

 not, however, think that the degree in which these receptacles 

 exist in the genus under consideration will much invalidate the 

 character of Myrtaceae, because they are in too rudimentary a 

 state to be actually identified with the transparent cells of that 

 order ; all that I wish to show is, that an evident tendency to 

 produce oily secretions exists in Melastomacese, a tribe in 

 which no such tendency has been before noticed. 



In the absence of fruit, the characters of this genus can be 

 only imperfectly traced ; but the following will be sufficient to 

 distinguish it from all that have been previously described. 

 DIPLOGENEA. 

 Nat. ord. Melastomacecu ; C onostegiae proxima. 



Calyx superus, limbo calyptriformi conico deciduo. Petala 4, lanceo- 

 lata, in margine disci carnosi ovarium tegentis inserta. Stamina 8, circa 

 discum inserta ; antheris ovatis, basi bicalcaratis, poro apicis dehiscen- 

 tibus. Ovarium calyci oranino accretum, 4-lociilare, polyspermum, disco 

 magno carnoso coronatum. Stylus falcatus, clavatus. Stigma simplex. 



Frutex parasiticus ? glaberrimus (Madagascariensis). Rami carnosi, 



dichotomi,junioribus compressis, Visciferl habitu. Folia oblonga,retusa, 

 tarnosa, triplicostata, avenia, receptaculis olei intra parenchyma latefi" 

 tibus. Flores albi 9 parvi, in racemis brevibus, axillaribus dispositi, 

 Calycis tubus receptaculis olei repletus. 



1. D. viscoides. 

 Ad portum Sae. Marise, Insulse Madagascarise, legit Johannes Forbes. 

 iv. s, sp, herb. Soc. Hort, LondO 



