APPENDIX. 51 



rescence is always solitary, a single flower upon a long slender 

 peduncle springing from between the two petioles of the gemi- 

 nate leaves of each distant axillary node of the main stem, and 

 this feature is confirmed in the description of the same species by 

 M. Dunal (Prodr. p. 556). Dr. Putterlich, however, in stating the 

 inflorescence to be sohtaiy and pseudo-axillary, adds that in reality 

 it is terminal, from the centrifugal evolution of its 2-3-choto- 

 mous stem ; I confess that I have been unable to distinguish 

 this character : its calyx is ui'ceolate, membranaceous, and re- 

 gularly 5 -toothed ; the corolla has a somewhat broad, bell-shaped, 

 almost cylindrical tube, with five very short erect lobes ; and 

 although the tube is plicated, the lobes are distinctly imbricated 

 in aestivation : this last feature is acknowledged by Dr. Putter- 

 lich, but unnoticed by M. Dunal : the ovarium, at its base, is 

 imbedded in an adnate, fleshy, 5-lobed disk, a character existing 



Htjoscya 



lyx 



naceous, cii-cumscissile operculum. In Vatm^a, the type ot which 

 is the Hyoscyamus muticus, Linn., the inflorescence is described as 

 " floribus apice ramorum racemoso-spicatis " as in Hyoscyamus : 

 the calyx in like manner is tubular, lO-ribbed, with five long aci- 



growth 



withering 



teeth collapse and cover the inclosed capsule, instead of remam- 

 ing erect and spinose : the coroUa and stamens diff'er m no re- 

 spect from those of Hyoscyamus : the operculum of the fruit is, 

 in like manner, hard and hemispherical, with a chartaceous sep- 

 tum : indeed I cannot perceive from the descriptions, any single 

 character difi^erent from that genus, except that the calyx becomes 

 more ventricose, and the teeth, instead of remammg erect and 



,^_.^, wither 



nothing here, however, to justify its being placed m Scopoba : 

 I am not sufficiently acquainted with the plants of this section 

 to oflfer a decided opinion ; but if it really differ generically from 

 Hyoscyamus, it must remain a distmct genus (perhaps Secarana, 

 from its Arabic name, for Dafora is too near Datura to be per- 

 mitted) ; but it appears to me far better to class the three species 

 enumerated by M. Dunal as a mere section either of Hyoscyamus 

 or of Physochlcma, as I have suggested [huj. vol. App.ip. lo). 



In regard to Physochlcma, many reasons have been offered [huj. 

 vol App. p. 11) to show why it must be considered as a distinct 

 genus : it cannot belong to Scopolia, its affinity being much 

 stronger towards Hyoscyamus, especially the section last men- 

 tioned, on account of the character of its inflorescence, its tubular 

 calyx and its shorter and more campanulatc corolla. 



Anisodus, however, is so extremely different in all its characters. 



