allied to the Natural Order Burmanniaceæ. 541 
placenta, each formed of a bundle of descending vessels, the only lon- 
gitudinal fibres to be seen in the whole structure. Style a short tri- 
gonous, trisuleate column, arising out of the convex six-grooved free 
summit of the ovarium, having its angles as well as the stigmata con- 
tinuous with the placentary lines, and opposite to the petals. Stigmata 
three, sigmoid, divaricate, short, each terminated by a sort of cup with 
its margin compressed on three sides, leaving only three open points 
at the angles, appearing like as many glandular dots, in which is seen 
the thick viscous fluid with which the cup is filled: they wither with 
the flower, but the style is always persistent. Capsule rather ovate, 
double the size of the ovarium when the flower first expands, yellowish 
white, nerveless, three-valved, bursting by laceration of the membranes, 
each valve submembranaceous, showing in its centre the elastic horny 
placenta crowned by a portion of the style. Seeds very numerous, filling 
the whole cavity of the capsule, and densely radiating in close series 
round the placentations, very minute, scobiform, similar to those of 
some Orchidee. Testa oblong, somewhat curved, truncated at the base, 
swelling a little in the middle, and tapering much towards the apex, 
consisting of an exceedingly thin transparent membrane, composed of 
long, rhomboidal or hexagonal cells, of which the partitions are strong 
and very prominent, and the intervening membrane is transparent and 
colourless: it presents in its centre a much smaller pyriform nucleus, 
which is opake, and seemingly free within the testa, inverted, and 
suspended by a compressed cord from the apex of the latter; the end 
pointing towards the hilum is contracted into a sort of nipple. 
This species was found by me, at the period already stated, in the woody 
range of the Corcovado Mountain in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, at an 
elevation of nearly 2000 feet above the level of the sea, growing upon decaying 
timber, particularly on the decayed roots of palms. 
2. D. umbellata, caule erecto simplicissimo, foliis erecto-patulis, umbellA 
simplici 6—9-flora, floribus erectis, pedicellis basi bracteatis, ovario 
ecostato. Tas. XXXVII. fig. 2. 
Plant similar in habit to the former species, but smaller. The root is more 
422 
