1850.] Linnean Society. 'JS 



barium, found respectively by Cuming in the Philippine Islands, and 

 by Purdie in Venezuela. He also corrects with much detail the de- 

 scriptions of the embryo of the latter given by Mr. Champion and by 

 Dr. Gardner. The following are his characters of Sciaphila and of 

 Hyalisma, together with those of the known species : — 



Sciaphila, Blume. — Aphylleia, Champ. 

 Char. Gen. Flores monoici, v. polygami. Perianthium in utroque 

 sexu 6-pavtitum ; laciniis obloiigis, acutis, reflexis, sestivatione valvatis, 

 persistentibus. Masc. Stamina 6, in hermaphroditis abortu 3-1, in 

 androphorum carnosum fere sessilia ; Jilamenta brevissima ; antherce 

 transversim oblongEe, 4-Ioculares, apice rima transversali 2-valvatlm 

 hiantes. Fem. Ovaria plurima, in gyiiaecium carnosum subglobosum 

 dense aggregata, obovata, sessilia, 1-locularia; ovulo solitario erecto. 

 Stylus lateralis fere basalis, plus minusve papilloso-subciliatus. Stigma 

 trmicatum, papilloso-plumosum, raro simplex obtusum. Carpidia plu- 

 rima, densissime aggregata, obovata, styli basi persistente notata, mo- 

 nosperma. Pericarpium utriculare, subtenue, papilloso-rugosum, su- 

 tuia dorsali hians. Caryopsis obovata, brevistipitata : endocarpium 

 arilliforme, 8-10-costatum, costis basi apiceque confluentibus, trans- 

 versim cancellatis, interstitiis membranaceis. Semen ovatum, basi 

 apiceque endocarpio adhaerens : testa testacea, striis paucis longitudi- 

 nalibus aliisque crebeiTimis transversis signata, apice saturatiiis colo- 

 rata : integumentum extertium pelliculare, reticulatum, testse adnatum ; 

 intfgumentum internum tenuissimum, areoUs hexagonoideis magnis ob- 

 longis reticulatum, nucleum arete cingens. Nucleus (Embiyo proto- 

 blastus) indivisus, hoinogeneus, carnoso-ceieus, opalinus, cellulosus ; 

 cellulis parvis, subglobosis, materie grumosa succoque oleoso farctis. — 

 Herbffi pusillcF, utriusque hemisphcBrce indigents, hyalines ; rhizomate 

 fibrosa ; caule simplici, erecto vel suhramoso ; foliis paucis, hractei- 

 formibus, alter nis, ovatis, acutis, adpressis, venis destitutis, celluloso- 

 rugosis ; floribus spicatis, monoids, superioribus $ , inferioribus^; pe- 

 dunculis unifioris, basi bracteatis ; \>r&cte\s foliis C07iformibus. 



1. Sciaphila tenella, " tenuissima carnosa aphylla, scapo simplicissimo 

 erecto, floribus nutantibus, perigonii laciniis reflexis apice viilosiusculis, 

 stigmate sessili punctiformi, baccis pluribus glandulis pellucidis tectis, 

 semine subtriquetro, testa subcoriacea." 



Sciaphila tenella, Blume, Bijdr. p. 515. 



2. Sciaphila maculata, hyalina, caule simplici, foliis bracteiformibus ad- 

 pressis lineis interruptis rubris maculatis, perianthii laciniis sublan- 

 ceolatis reflexis apice intiis baibatis alternis margine ciliatis, floribus 

 inferioribus staminibus 3 cassis (?), carpellis densissime congestis, utri- 

 culo hiante. 



Hab. in Insulis Philippinis, Cuming, no. 2088. 



3. SciArniLA picta, hyalina, caule subramoso erecto flexuoso, foliis brae- 



