SOUTH AMERICAN PLANTS, 83 



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de Janeiro^ for which some years ago I proposed a new genua 

 under the name of Tessarandra^ from reaaapa, guatuor, avi]p, 

 stamen. Anblet describes his Mayepea as ha\'ing the calyx and 

 corolla of a Chionanthus, with four stamens opposite to the petals^ 

 an arrangement quite contrary to their usual position, whicl 



11 IS 



with them. In Aublet^s figure the stamens are shown 

 to possess a distinct connective^ both longer and broader than 

 the anther-cellsj a character at variance with the usual struc- 

 ture of the order. This also partly occurs in Tessarandra, where 

 the filaments terminate in a jSeshy connective exceeding the length 

 of the anthers which are affixed to it on its external face, thus 

 offering another anomaly in their extrorse aspect and dehiscence. 

 It also differs from other Oleaceous genera in its ovarium being 

 seated and partly immersed in a fleshy disc which is adnate upon 

 the torus. In all other essential respects, more particularly in 

 the structure of the ovarium and of the fruit, Tesmrandra re- 

 sembles ChionanthuSy so that it belongs evidently to Oleace<s^ and 

 to the tribe Chionantheoi. 



The following is an outline of its generic features : 



Tessauandra (gen. nov.). — Calyx paniis, urceolatus, 4-fidus, 

 dentibus obtusiusculis, persistens. Pefala 4, hy]^og}ma, sequa- 

 lia, linearia, apice obtusa. Stamina 4, ^qxmVm ; Jiiamenta bre- 

 vissima, dilatata, extus carinata, petalis altema et iis basi sub- 

 concreta; antherte extrors^e, 2-locularcs, loculis oblongis, ap- 

 positis, parallelis, ad connectivum erassiusculum angustiorem 

 filamento continuum et ultra eos productum dorso affixis, extus 

 longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Ovarium oblongum, subco- 

 nicum, toro carnoso imo subimmersum, 2-loculare, 4-ovu- 

 latum, ovulis geminis, coUateralibus, infra apicem dissepimenti 

 utrinque suspensis. Stylus brcvis. Stigma 24obum, lobis 

 crassis, divaricatis. Drupa baccata, abortu ]-locularis, 1-2- 

 spenna, puiamine chartaceo, vcnoso-striato, endopleura tenui, 

 chalaza basali incrassata. Semina solitaria, rarius gemina^ 

 loculo conformia, exalbuminosa, cotyledonihus magnis, camosis, 

 piano- convexis, radicula minima, discoidea, iis immersa, supera. 

 Arbuscula BrasiliemiSy glaherrima : folia opposita, adpressa, 

 sessiliay integerrhnay ovata; paniculre axillares et fere terminales^ 

 laoce brachiat(Bj pedicellis imo hracteatis. 



1. Tessarandra Fluminensis; — foliis sessihbus, ovatis, aubcor- 

 datis, apice obtusis et emarginatis, decussatis, erecto-adprcssis, 

 coriaceis, venis prominentibus, subtus glaucis, ad axillas ve- 

 narum barbatis, rachi prominente basi nodoso-incrassato ; ca- 

 lyce extus pubescente, dentibus ciliatis, intus nervo promi- 



virideseentibus 



violacea. — Rio de Janeiro, v. v.. 



m2 



