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VIL. Om Brachynema and Phoxanthus, tho new Genera of Brazilian Plants. 
By GEORGE Bentham, Esq., F.L.S. 
Read May 5th, 1857. 
AMONG the North Brazilian plants collected by Mr. Spruce, are two, which have 
appeared to me to present some interesting anomalies, preventing their being referred 
absolutely to any of our Natural Orders as at present defined. I therefore beg to lay 
_ before the Linnean Society the following descriptions, accompanied by drawings carefully 
. executed by Mr. Fitch, in the hope that their publication may be the means of further 
elucidating the immediate affinities of these plants. 
1. BRACHYNEMA RAMIFLORUM. (Tap. XXII.) 
This pit to which I have given the name of Brachynema, in allusion to the short 
filaments of the stamens, has a foliage which reminds one of the simple-leaved Galipeas 
or Ticoreas, whilst the structure of the flowers is nearer that of Æbenaceæ. I should 
indeed have had little hesitation in considering it as a true Ebenacea, slightly anomalous 
in inflorescence, in the shape of the corolla, and in the hermaphrodite flowers, were it not 
for the leaves. These have the general form and appearance, the unequal petioles, and 
the evident tendeney to articulation at the summit of the petioles, of several unifoliolate 
Rutaceæ. The surface of the leaf is not however covered with the minute resinous dots 
of most Diosmeæ, but the principal nerves when they approach the margin often emit a 
small lateral branch terminating in a gland on the margin itself, as is the case in some 
Diosmeæ. The same circumstance may however be observed in some Euphorbiaceae, in a 
few of the Malvoid families, and in some other Orders. The inflorescence of Brachynema, 
the shape of the corolla, the almost valvate slightly contorted æstivation of its thick 
lobes, have nothing in them incompatible with the gamopetalous Diosmeæ, but here all 
affinity ceases. The insertion of the stamens, the structure of the ovary, the fruit with 
its enlarged calyx, are nearly those of Ebenacee. The only seed which I could examine 
was probably not quite ripe. Within a striated closely adherent coating, it only pre- 
sented a uniform cartilaginous mass with å slight discoloration in the interior, in which 
however I failed in detecting the embryo. Outside, the longitudinal furrows of the seed 
show an approach to the ruminated albumen of some Zbenacee ; although, on the other 
hand, there is nothing to preclude the supposition that the whole may be an exalbuminous 
embryo. The coarse fibres more or less cohering to the external furrows, appear to be 
detached from the endocarp of the fruit. ; 
For the present, therefore, Brachynema must be considered as a doubtful Ebenacea, 
» anomalous in its foliage, in its hermaphrodite flowers, in its long-tubed corolla, and 
in the number of stamens equal to and alternate with the lobes of the corolla. 
I should add, that the flowers opp only on san older branches of the tree, the 
