Linnaan Society. 133 



all the evidence yet known respecting the order of Burmanniacece. 

 Of the genus Dictyostega he describes three species, which he found 

 in Brazil, to which is to be added a fourth species, discovered by- 

 Mr. Schomburgk in British Guiana. 

 The following are their characters : — 



DICTYOSTEGA. 



Perianthium tubulosum, ovario adnatum, superne liberum : Umbo 6-fido, 

 laciniis 3 alternis minoribus. Stamina 3 : filamentis brevissimis : an- 

 ther ce loculis disjunctis, transversim dehiscentibus. Stylus simplex. 

 Stigmata 3. Capsula 1-locularis, sub 3-valvis, polysperma, apice dehi- 

 scens : valvis medio placentiferis. Semina minuta, scobiformia, testa 

 laxa, reticulata, pertranslucida, nucleo quintuplo longiore vestita. 



Plantae (brasilienses) rhizocarpece, radice fibrosa, squamis membranaceis, 

 imbricafis, cilia tis, incanis tectd. Caulis erectus, subfiexuosus, pallid e 

 purpurascens, subsolilarius, rariils ramiferus, et tunc ramis 1 — 3 

 erectis, alternis, trunco consimilibus. Folia bracteiformia, subsessilia, 

 adpressa. Inflorescentia terminalis, dichotome racemosa, vel snbum- 

 bellato-cymosa, Jloribus purpu rascentibus, pedicellatis. 



1. D. orobanchioides, caule erecto simplici vel ramifero, racemis geminis, 

 floribus nutantibus unibvacteatis, bracteis cum pedicellis alternantibus, 

 capsula subvalvata ecostata, longitudinaliter debiscente. — Monte Corco- 

 vado, Rio de Janeiro. 



2. D. umbellata, caule erecto simplicissimo, foliis erecto-patulis, umbella 

 simplici 6 — 9-flora, floribus erectis, pedicellis basi bracteatis, ovario 

 ecostato. — Serra dos Orgaos, Prov. Rio de Janeiro. 



3. D. costata, caule erecto simplici, floribus erectis, cyma bibracteala, pe- 

 dicellis ebracteatis, capsula evalvi 6-costata apice debiscenti. — Rio de 

 Janeiro. 



4. D. Schomburgkii, caule erecto subsimplici, racemis geminis paucifloris, 



floribus unibracteatis, bracteis pedicello oppositis, perianthio medio 



haud constricto, laciniis obtusioribus, capsula 6-costata apice dehiscenti. 



— Guiana. 



CYMBOCARPA. 



Perianthium tubulosum, ovario adnatum, superne- liberum : Umbo G-fido, 

 laciniis tribus alternis minoribus. Stamina omnino Dictyostega. 

 Stylus simplex. Stigmata 3-loba, lobis gibboso-rotundatis, cornubus 2 

 subulatis erectis instructis. Ovarium gibboso-3-gonum, 1-loculare, 

 placentis 3 parietalibus. Capsula 1-locularis, latere unico angulo su- 

 periore tantum dehiscens. Semina scobiformia, numerosissima, testa 

 reticulata nucleo vix excedente. 



Plantae (brasilienses) rhizocarpece, radice fibrosa. Caulis simplex, sub- 

 fiexuosus, erectus, albescens. Folia sessilia, bracteiformia, erecta, aut 

 adpressa. Inflorescentia dichotome spicata, paucifiora, Jloribus fia- 

 vescenti-albidis, basi bracteatis, cum pedicellis brevissimis summo abrupte 

 declinatis geniculatis. 



1. Cgmbocarpa refracta. — Monte Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro. 



