4 ILLUSTRATIONS OF 



From these several facts the inference is irresistible^ that 

 Witheringia solanacea should at once be referred to Saracha^ and 

 that Witheringia macrophylla^ TV. ciliattty W. mollis^ TV, rhom- 

 boidea, TV. dumeiorum and TV. riparia of Prof. Kunth^ together 

 with some others, form a distinct group, which I^propose to call 

 BrachistuSy and that the genms JVitheringia as defined by L^He- 

 riticr must fall upon that group of plants, of which the TVithe- 

 ringia pida^ Mart., may be considered the type. These are di- 

 stinguished by an inflorescence either solitary or fasciculate in 

 each axil or dichotomy of the branches, in which latter cases they 

 arise successively at different periods, so that we see in each fas- 

 cicle, every gradation of development from the nascent bud to 

 the ripened fruit : the peduncle is always 1-flowered, slender and 

 drooping in the young flower, but it grows much longer, becomes 

 rigidly erect, and is considerably thickened towards the apex, in 

 fruit : the calyx is 5-partite, the corolla has a very short tube, 

 and a deeply 5 -cleft rotate border^ with the stamens arising from 

 triangular extensions a little above the base of the tube, as in 

 Hebecladus and Saracha : the berry is large, oval, and wholly in- 

 cluded within the enlarged calyx, and the form of the embryo of 

 its seed is spiral. 



It may be urged that the name of Sarackth should give place 

 to that of TVitheringia, but such a change wOuld answer no good 

 purpose^ and could not be effected without great confusion, a 

 very unnecessary creation of synonyms, and the annihilation of a 

 genus long recognized- The recommendation above suggested 

 appears to me the only proper course to pursue, and in adopting 

 it, we do not violate the rule of priority, as L^Heritier^s plant was 

 only a cultivated specimen, the place of whose origin is still quite 

 unknown ; and as no specimen of it appears to be in existence, 

 it is clear that as a species, and especially as the type of a genus, 

 it must ever remain problematical : and finally, that as L^Heri- 

 tier's generic character remains in full force, as applied to another 

 distinct group, the* tribute intended by him to honour the me- 

 mory of Withering is thus inviolably preserved. The genus 

 TVitheringia being thus established, it follows as a necessary con- 

 sequence, that the Athenaa of Dr. Sendtner must give place to it. 

 The following generic character drawn up from my own observa- 

 tions will not be found to differ materially from that of the au- 

 thor last mentioned. 



"Witheringia, L*Her., Mart. AtheruBa, Sendt. — Calyx sub- 

 campanulatus, profunde 5-partitus, persistens. Corolla rotata 

 tubo brcvi, limbo 5-partito, laciniis oblongis, acuminatis, jesti- 

 vatione valvata. Stamina 5, erccta ; filamenta filiformia, brevia 

 paulo supra ba^in corollas inserta, inio repente triangulariter 



