81 



sometimes dichotomously 5-flowered, having a flower in the 

 bifurcation. Calyx semi-inferior, surrounding the ovary, ovate ; 

 liwib 8-parted, spreading; /«cmi« linear, acute, thick, rather 

 incurved at their points. Corolla white, 8-petaled : petals 

 nearly erect, alternate with the laciniae of the calyx, condu- 

 plicate, inclosing the stamens by pairs, bifid, furnished with 

 a few threads or filaments at the point, ciliated on the margin. 

 Stamens double the number of the petals, inserted on the 

 calyx in a double series, the inner ones shorter, erect, not so 

 long as the petals, enfolded by them until the period of com- 

 plete expansion, when they burst from their recesses with 

 elastic force, and disperse their pollen. Anthers linear, acute, 

 2-celled. Ovary contained within the calyx, 2-celled, tetra- 

 sporous : ovules subrotund, affixed near the top of the cells. 

 Style filiform, as long as the stamens. Stigma bifid with 

 acute laciniae. Fruit contained in the persistent calyx, 1- 

 seeded, the other 3 ovules proving abortive. Seed at first 

 ovate or roundish, with conform albumen : the embryo inverse, 

 in the upper part of the seed. As the fruit advances, the 

 radicle is elongated, and becomes at length nearly cylindrical, 

 obsoletely angled and rather acute at the point. I have 

 generally found 3 cotyledons, rarely 4. 



Obs. Rumphius' figure is by no means a good represen- 

 tation of the plant, but his description of it is correct. It 

 comes nearest to the R. cylindrica, (Kari Kandel, Rheed. 

 Mai. V. 6. p. 59. t. 33,) which differs from this in having the 

 radicle very obtuse, and more exactly cylindrical, and the 

 peduncles generally 1 or 2-flowei"ed. According to Rumphius, 

 this species is rather rare, and is called Mangi Mangi Chenke, 

 or Clove Mangrove, whence his appellation caryophylloides, 

 which I have thought proper to retain, as the resemblance 

 holds good in some particulars. 



ACROTREMA. W. J. 



DODECANDRIA TrIGYNIA. 



Calyx pentaphyllus. Corolla 5-petala, patens. Stamina 15, 

 erecta, fllamentis brevibus, antheris longis, linearibus, 

 apice biporis. Ovaria 3, distincta, 2-spora, ovulis angulo 



VOL. II. G 



