56 ILLUSTRATIONS OF 



cies^ wliich Don placed in his section Potydidia of that genus^ 

 and I propose to adopt that name, or rather its more correct de- 

 rivation, for a distinct genus, in order to embrace these plants, 



ture 



Nicotiana . 



rait and other characters. The first-mentioned plant 

 is a native of Missouri, where it is said to be cultivated as tobacco ; 

 it was introduced into England in 1811 and figured in the 

 ' Botanical Magazine/ The latter species was first cultivated in 

 England in 1826 and figured in the ^Botanical Register.' They 

 both differ from Nicotiana in their globular, three or more celled 

 ovarium, with placentae projecting from the axis into the middle 

 of the cell, where they become thickened and ovuligerous. The 

 capsule is globular, often very large, umbilicate at the apex, three- 

 to eight-grooved, with as many corresponding septicidal valves, 

 which break away from the shriveled dissepiments. In Pohj- 

 diclis multivalvis, which has a six- or eight-celled ovarium, the pla- 

 centae are often pluripartite in each cell, and as they become in- 

 crassated, the fruit according to Dr. Lindley presents a series of 

 external spurious cells around the true seminal cavities. Its 

 generic name is derived from ttoXv?, mullus, SikXI^, valm, on 



account of the greater number of the valves and divisions of its 

 capsule. , 



PoLYDicLis (gen. noY.).—Cahjx globoso-tubulosus, 10-16-nervis, 

 5-8-dentatus, dentibus valde acutis, insequalibus, erectis, per- 

 sistens et augescens. Coro/Zc tubo cylindrico, 15- velplmi-ner- 

 vio, basi ventricoso, calyce 2-3-plo longiore, limbo late campa- 

 nulato, ad medium 5-6-fido, laciniis expansis, obtusiusculis, 3- 

 nerviis, venisque anastomosantibus pictis. Stamina 5-6,' in- 

 aequalia, inclusa, medio corollse inserta, filament a tubo 3-plo 

 breviora, filiformia, anthera ovata, 2-lob£e, lobis liberis, appo- 

 sitis, rima exteriori dehiscentibus. Ovarium globosum', disco 

 carnoso insitum, 3 ad 6-loculare, placentis ex angulis promi- 

 nentibus in centre loculorum incrassatis, multiovulatis. Stylus 

 erectus, inclusus. Stiffma clavatum, 3 ad 6-lobum, lobis ob- 

 tusis expansis, glanduloso-papillosis. Capsula globosa, magna 

 umbilicata, 3-12-sulcata, calyce aucto arete cincta, 3-pluri- 

 loculari, 3-plurivalvis, valvis septicidalibus dissepimcntis de- 

 mum solutis, ssepe locellis aliis spuriis exterioribus donata 

 Semtna plurima, parva, oblonga, compressiuscula, hilo laterali' 

 Embryo mtra albumen carnosum leviter incurvus, radicula te- 

 reti, angulo basali spectante, cotyledonibus ovatis piano-con 

 vexis duplo longiore.— Herbse America septentrionalis viscoso- 

 pubescentes, odorefoetido ; folia alterna, ovato-lanceolata, ellip- 

 tica, utrinque acuminata; flores awillares, albidi, reticulafo- 

 picti. 



