292 



petaliformia, apice recurva, 5 alternantia breviora, fili- 

 formia vel subulata. AnthercB didymae. Pollen viride, 

 subglobosum, tuberculis tribus notatum. Pistillum (abor- 

 tivum) globosum, 5-lobum, pubescens. Styli in unum 

 filiforme coadunati. Stigma simplex. — Newman in litt. 



Most of the above is copied from a description made 

 from living plants in the Island of Mauritius, and communi- 

 cated to me, together with a drawing and specimens, by Mr. 

 Newman, Curator of the Royal Botanic Garden in that 

 island, as a new genus, under the name of " Telfairia volu- 

 bilis." M. Bojer, who discovered the plant in Madagascar, had 

 previously sent it to me as " Heterophi/lhim ramosimi." MSS. 

 But upon carefully comparing the structure of the flowers 

 with those of Byttneria^ I could not discover sufficient char- 

 acters to warrant its separation from that genus. Mr. New- 

 man, indeed, considers the plant to be dioecious; and it is 

 certain that the blossoms do not bear fruit in the Mauritius : 

 but the flowers contain a pistil, to all appearance, perfectly 

 formed. 



It is remarkable not only for the variously shaped leaves 

 that occur, as well on different plants as upon the same indi- 

 vidual, and for its extended growth. " This singular and 

 gigantic Creeper" says M. Bojer in his letter to me, " in- 

 habits the province of Emirne, in the interior of the Island 

 of Madagascar, where it covers, with its most extensive 

 branches, a great portion of the western side of the mountain 

 Tannanarivou. In no other spot have I seen it, nor have 

 I met with the ripe fruit. Its flowers much resemble those 

 of Theobroma Cacao, (or Chocolate Tree,) and they fall off" 

 soon after thei'- expansion." 



Fig. 1, Flower. Figs. 2, 3, Petals. Fig. 4, Stamen com- 

 bined into a cup-shaped nectary. Fig. 5, Stamen. Fig. 

 6, Grain of pollen. Fig. 7, Pistil, (abortive.) — magnified. 



