175 



the dry membranaceous nature of the petals, and the strait 

 (never convoluted or plicate) cotyledons of the embryo, that 

 to unite the two would hardly be consistent with the object 

 of a natural arrangement. MacrcBa probably forms a distinct 

 order from any hitherto known, and Chile may yet soon pro- 

 duce other novelties allied to this which will better enable us 

 to refer it to its right place in the system. 



Mr. Lindley considers the stamens to be inserted upon a 

 short torus. To me they appear perfectly hypogynous : and, 

 immediately at the base of each alternate stamen, and al- 

 ternating with the petals, 1 find a small fleshy pubescent 

 scale or gland. These are so small, however, that their real 

 structure is not to be seen without much difficulty. 



Geiieric Character. 

 MACRiEA. Lindl. Cal. inferus, monophyllus, campanulatus 

 decemcostatus, angulatus, 5 dentatus, dentibus marginatis. 

 Petala 5, hypogyna, obovata, unguiculata, scariosa, per- 

 sistens. Stam. 10, hypogyna, basi5-glandulosa. Filamenta 

 filiformia. AnthercE, oblongae, basi insertae, biloculares, lon- 

 gitudinaliter dehiscentes. Germen ovale, trilobum. Stylus 

 perbrevis. Stigmata 3, linearia, dorso sulcata. Capsula 

 subrotundo-ovalis, 3-loba, trilocularis, semitrivalvis, valvis 

 loculicidis. Locula disperma. Semina 2 in singulo loculo, 

 receptaculo parvo versus medium axeos inserta, altero 

 ascendente, altei'o suspenso, globosa, subangulata, fusca. 

 Albumen carnosum, album, copiosum. Embryo filiformis, 

 curvatus. Cotyledones angustae. Radicula elongata, ad 

 hilum seminis versa. 



Suffrutices aridcB. Rami oppositi. Folia opposita, hrevimme 

 petiolata^ ovata, integerrima vel crenata, puhescentia, suhtus 

 niveo-tomentosa. Panicula^ terminales, dlchotomce, breves. 



1. Macraea. grandifolia ; foliis subtus griseis glandulosis, venis 

 prominentibus, ramis pubescentibus, pedunculis folio 

 bi'evioribus. Lindl. 



Macraea grandifolia. Lindl. in Brande's Journ. v. 25. p. 204. 



Hab. Spontc crescentem juxta vicum Colina, urbis Santiago 



VOL. I. N 



