157 



RETANILLA. f Brongn. 



Retanilla Ephedra. Brongniart in Ann. des Sc. Nat. v. 10. p. 

 364. f. 14. / 2. 



CoUetia Ephedra. Vent. Choix. des PI. t. 16. De Cand. 

 Prodr. V. 2. p. 29. 



Hab. In convallibus Andium Chilensium: alt. 2500 ad 

 3500 ped. 



This genus is fully described by Brongniart, in the Memoir 

 above quoted. Dr. Gillies's specimens have only the ripe 

 fruit, which is as large as a hazel nut, and very different in 

 its nature from that of CoUetia. The flowers, too, have the 

 disc clothing the whole internal surface of the calyx, accord- 

 ing to Brongniart; but M. Kunth appears to have entirely 

 overlooked it. 



In Dr. Gillies's collection of plants of this Nat. Order, are 

 two species with opposite and decussate spines and numerous 

 3 or 5 nerved leaves, one is in flower and fruit, the other 



tween the Colony round Port Jackson and the Settlement of Bathurst," pub- 

 lished in Mr. Barron Field's Memoirs on New South Wales, p. 352, n. fl., as 

 " a second new genus of the order Rlmmnecc, and related to CoUetia." He thus 

 defines it : " Calyx seu Perianthium monophyllum, quadrifidum. Cor. 0, sed 

 squamae 4, cucuUatae inter segmenta perianthii. Anthercc 2-Ioculare8, sub singu- 

 lis squamis. Stigma trilobatum. Germen 3-loculare. — A junceous shrubby 

 plant, with brachiate strong thorns." As a species, it may be thus charac- 

 terized : 



Discaria australis ; calyce 4-fido, segmentis erectis. 

 CoUetia pubescens. Brongn. in Ann. des Sc. Nat. v. 10. p. 366. 



The name pubescens is scarcely applicable, for, in general, the stems, branches, 

 and thorns are quite glabrous. The branches are more elongated than in S. 

 americana, the thorns rather more distant, the flowers smaller, the stigmas 

 narrower and more erect. In other respects there is the most entire con- 

 formity. Leaves few, small, oblong, entire. 

 Tab. XLV. A. Fig. 1, Flower. Fig. 2, Section of the same. Fig. 3, Petal 



and Stamen. Fig. 4, Petal. Fig. 5, Pistil, ^vith the pateriform fleshy disc 



at the base, removed from the lower part of the calyx. 



f Jussieu says that the CoUetia Ephedra of Ventenat bears the name of Reta- 

 nilla in Dombey's Herbarium, as the CoUetia spinosa does that of Retama. 



