272 



Pedunculi axillares, brevissimi, uniflori vel biflori. Masc. : 

 Cal. ad basin fere quadrifidus, laciniis ovatis munitis, 

 coloratus, persistens. Pet. 4, obovata, patula, caduca: 

 Filamenta 8, brevia, pilosa, receptaculo carnoso inserta : 

 AnthercB oblongae, didymae vel sagittatae, dorso ad germen 

 versae, flavte. F^m. : Cal. et Cor. ut in mare. Germina 

 4, contigua, unum vel duo saepe abortientia : Stylus bre- 

 vissimus aut nuUus: Stigmata 4, patentissima, subulata. 

 Stam. 8, brevissima, abortiva, hirsutissima, disco, ad basin 

 germinis, insidentia. Dnipce 4, (sed vix unquam ad 

 maturitatem perveniunt,) subglobosse, basi acuminatae vel 

 breviter pedicellatae, patentissimae, maturae puniceae, 

 magnitudine Cerasi minoris. Nux compressa, obovata, 

 bivalvis, rugosa, unilocularis. Semen suspensum, sub- 

 ovatum, compressum. Albumen paucum, tenue, carnosum. 

 Embryo magnitudine fere seminis: Radicula parva, su- 

 pera: Cotyledones \Aa.nsd, ^oYmcese. [Nicholson m litt.) 

 Dr. Nicholson, together with an interesting collection of 

 plants from the Island of Antigua, was so obliging as to 

 communicate specimens and a drawing of the plant which I 

 have here given, under the idea that it might be a new species 

 of Simaruba, of the Natural Order of Simarubece. On 

 consulting, however, the figures of the genus Castela, belong- 

 ing to the closely allied order of OclinacecB^ it is quite evi- 

 dent that it belongs to that genus, and I am anxious to 

 dedicate the species to its discoverer, from whom we confi- 

 dently expect still more valuable information relative to the 

 botany of Antigua. 



The only two species of this genus hitherto known, are 

 given by Turpin in the 7th vol. of Annales du Museum 

 d'Hist. Naturelle, p. 78. t. 5. f. a and b. The one species, C. 

 depressa^ has reflexed leaves, cordate at the base, and glabrous 

 stamens; while the second, C. erecta, found indeed in the 

 Island of Antigua by Richard, is distinguished by infra-axil- 

 lary spines, and by its brown, not at all hoary and downy 

 branches. It is quite clear, therefore, that our present 

 species cannot be confounded with them. Dr. Nicholson 

 observes, that " it is a beautiful little shrub, especially when 



