SPHENODESMA, 181 
Lindley's Nat. Orders. Verbenee is perhaps natural, but 
the involucrate genera, of which at least three genera exist, 
will form a very distinct section. Attention must be paid to 
the inflorescence which in many is truly dichotomous. 
Gmelina cannot be associated with Vitex ete. on account 
of its unlobed fruit. 
Augst. St. Hilaire is quite wrong in his assertion as to all 
except Avicennia having erect ovula. Brown on the con- 
tray is quite right. 
In this order the 5th stamen never? occurs in a rudimen- 
tary state, althongh it often does in its perfect state. This 
affords a diagnosis between it, add Bignoniacea, which other- 
wise might (wAile in flower) be confounded, that is, if the 
ovary be not examined. This is highly curious ; because from 
the tendency towards dichotomy that exists one would have 
imagined that the 5th stamen would be more developed than 
any of the others. 
In all Verbenacez the foramen is very indistinct, in the 
Présent genus even at a very early period and when the co- 
rolla about equals the calyx, there is no trace of any integu- 
ments, and just before expansion, it has the same appearance 
of a simple fleshy body. 
SPHENODESMA. 
1. Sphenodesma pentandra. Gr. 
Frutex scandens, oblongo-lanceolatis acuminatis, supra 
lucidis glabris, 24 inches long. 
Floralibus pallidis subalbidis multo minoribus, 
. Capitulis axillaribus, pedunculatis, 6-bracteatis, bracteis 
Involueris in modo dispositis lineari-spathulatis obtusis, albidi 
Teticulatim venosis, 
es 7 cuique capitulo, 6 ex axillaribus bracteari-involu- 
erive, Septimo centrali, terminali nudo. 
Cal. Subinfundibulif, submembranacea, ore 5-dentato, sinu- 
ticulis totidem auctis extrorsum quasi plicatis. — 
