98 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
2-loculares. Ovarium liberum, 1-loculare, plecentis parietalibus 3 v. 4, ovulis oo, oc-seriatis semi- 
anatropis. Stylus terminalis, indivisus v. breviter 3-fidus; stigmata 3, distincta v. coalita. Capsula: 
subglobosa, coriacea, carnosa, 1-locularis, 3—4-valvis, valvis medio seminiferis. Semina pauca, ovato- 
angulata, umbilico ventrali, rhaphe brevi, erassiuscula, intra integumentum exterius baccatum, inte- 
grum v. in arillum multifidum fatiscens prorepente, cum chalaza basilari excavata juncto, testa 
crustacea, fragili, endopleura membranacea. Embryo in apice albuminis carnosi parvus, foliaceus, 
orthotropus, radicula chalazw e diametro opposita.—Arbores v. frutices; foliis alternis, distichis, 
integerrimis v. serratis, pellucido-punetatis v. impunctatis, stipulis petiolaribus geminis; floribus in 
axillis foliorum umbellatis v. glomeratis, rarius solitariis v. corymbosis, albo-viridescentibus v. rarius 
roseis, pedicellis articulatis, basi bracteatis.—Antigona, Vell. Fl. Flum. vol. iv. t. 145. Melistaurum, 
Forst. Gen. t. 72. 
l. C. () acuminatissima, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 80; glabra; foliis nitidis oblongo-lanceo- 
latis longe acuminatis basi rotundatis vix punctatis subintegerrimis ; fructu obovato-globoso 8-valvi 
l-spermo.— Bua or Sandalwood Bay, Vanua Levu (U. S. Expl. Exped.). 
2. C. disticha, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 81. t. 5. excl. syn. Forst., Willd. et DC.; fruticosa ; 
foliis brevissime petiolatis oblongis seu ovali-oblongis integerrimis v. hinc inde dentatis membranaceis 
crebre punctatis; floribus e gemma axillari pluribus parvis subsessilibus; filamentis fertilibus 10 
glabris, sterilibus villosis; stigmate iutegerrimo.—Bua Bay, Vanua Levu (U. S. Expl Exped.), 
Ovalau (Seemann ! n. 11). 
A. Gray referred Forster's Melistaurum distichum to this species as a doubtful synonym; but from 
Forster’s authentic specimens and his drawing, existing at the British Museum, the two are widely sepa- 
rated. I may add a description of Forster’s plant :— 
C. Melistaurum, DC. Prodr. vol. i. p. 51; glabra; foliis brevipetiolatis, ovato-oblongis seu oblongo- 
lanceolatis acuminatis integerrimis crasse coriaceis impunetatis utrinque glabris et lucidis, costis nervisque 
supra impressis; floribus e gemma axillari oo parvis pedicellatis; floribus hermaphroditis, laciniis calycinis 
5 ovatis obtusis, sestivatione quincuncialis; antheris fertilibus 10, sterilibus 10, apice pilosis, stylo brevis- 
. Simo; stigmate peltato.— Melistaurum distichum, Forst. Gen. t. 72; Prodr. n. 570, et Icon. (ined.) t. 301. 
Samyda polyandra, Willd. Sp. vol. ii. p. 626.—New Caledonia (Forster! W. Anderson! Vieillard! n. 1169). 
The leaves of C. Melistawrum are large, very leathery and shining, especially on the upper side; 
petioles 3 inch long, blade from 5-9 inches long, and often 4-5 inches broad. 
3. C. Richii, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 82. t. 5 B; foliis distichis modice petiolatis ovatis sub- 
acuminatis subcoriaceis vix punctatis; floribus minimis e gemma axillari fasciculatis subsessilibus ; 
filamentis fertilibus 10 inferne ciliatis; stigmate subtrilobo.—Ovalau (U. S. Expl. Exped.). 
“A close congener of C. disticha, from whieh it is distinguished by its much smaller and crowded — 
ovate and somewhat tapering leaves, of a rather coriaceous texture, very obscurely punctate, and on petioles 
of greater proportionate length.” A. Gray. ie 
Hooker and Arnott's C. (?) impuncta, from Tahiti, must be close to this, but there are no specimens 
of it in Hooker's herbarium; and 1 do not find in any other collection specimens of a Tahitian Casearia. 
The two authors themselves were doubtful about the genus. ; * 
Orvo XLIV. BALANOPHOREZE. 
The position of this Order in the Natural System (represented in Polynesia by Balanophora fungosa, 
Forst., of the tropical islands, and Dactylanthus Taylori, Hook. fil., of New and) has given rise to much 
discussion, and is still unsettled. Balanophoree have been regarded as Acotyledons, Monocotyledons, and 
Dicotyledons, but they are now generally regarded as Exogens. J. Hooker, one of the latest writers on 
the subject, compares them (Linn. Soc. Trans. vol. xxii. p. 21) to Zaloraginee; but in his subsequently 
published ‘Handbook of the New Zealand Flora, he places them at the end of his Subclass Incomplete, 
near Chloranthacee end Piperacee, where Bartling (Ordines Plantarum, 1830, p. 79) had previously re- 
ferred them, whilst inserting Zaloragec amongst the Calyciflore. Regarding the more intimate relation- 
