42 DR. J. D. HOOKER ON THE GENERA AND SPECTES 



On the Tolima range it is called "Belacha;" and "Melousita" on the mountains 

 aroimd Bogota, where its soft recei^tacle is eaten when vipe, and considered stimulating 

 and refreshing. It is remarkable that Laugsdorffia, the only monostylous American 

 genus, should resemble Balimophora in the abundance of its waxy secretion ; whilst 

 Bhopiilociionis, the only distylous Asiatic species, resembles the other American Helo- 

 sklece in the absence of wax. 



2. KvxGSDORFFLV RTJBIGINOSA, WeddcU (Ann. Sc. Nat. s6r. 3. xiv. t. 11. f. 48-51), 



rhizomate deust; tomentoso. (Tab. II. figs. 1-19.) 

 Hab. Sylvis montosis regionibus superioribus fluminis Orinoco, alt. 3500 ad 4000 ped. (Schomburgk, 



Ic. Pkt.): locis umbrosis humidis inter Quebradas de San Juan et Panones, Parana de Ruiz [Purdie) : 



provincia Goyaz Brasiliae (U'eddell). 

 This species does not seem to have been distinguished from L. hi/pogcea by Mr. Purdie, 

 from whom I first received it, and who mentions its also being used for candles. It in every 

 respect resembles L. hifpogcea, except in the dense, matted, woolly vcstm-e of the rhizome, 

 which appears as if wrapped in wool. This indumentum is formed of long, simple, very 

 sparingly articulated transparent hairs, with broad bases and blunt apices, and walls 

 covered, especially towards the base, with minute granulations ; they are quite hoUow, and 

 very flaccid. All my specimens are males, and have very short peduncles, clothed with 

 rather narrower scales than in L. hypocjcBci. The small clavate bodies situated on the male 

 capitulum, and placed at the angle where four flowers meet, are often connate : they are 

 quite analogous to the similarly placed organs in dioecious Balanophorw. Weddell 

 figures the female perianths as connate thi-oughout their length, as is sometimes the case 

 ■with L. hijpogaia ; his specimens appear to be immature, and I doubt its proving even- 

 tually distinct from the last-mentioned species. 



V. Thonningia, Vahl. 

 (Tab. III.) 

 ConopJiyta, Sebum. HcBmatostrohis, Endl. MSS. (Gen. p. 76). 

 Dioica. Fl. i . Perianthium incompletum, e squamis 2-3 subulatis inzequalibus infra medium columnse 

 antheriferaj insertis. Antherte 3-5, longissime lineares, in columnam conico-fusiformem elongatam 

 Bolidam coadunatae, 12-20?-loculares, loculis linearibus, extrorsis. Fl. ? lineares. Perianthmm 

 superum, tubulosum, inrequaliter .3-5-dentatum. Ovarium lineare, perianthio Eequilongum ima basi 

 ovuliferum. Stylus cylindricus, filiformis, perianthio duplo longior, supra medium papillosus stig- 

 matiferus. Ovulum \, pendulum. Achania receptaculo spongioso immersa. — Rhizoma repens 

 ramosum. Pedunculi erecti, 1-6 unciales, basi nudi, squamis coccineis circa inflorescentiam elonyatis 

 tecti, inter sijnamas piibescentes. Squamte dense imbricatte, late ovato-acuminatte, inferiores \ unc, 

 siiperiores \-\ unc. lonya. Receptaculum spongiosum late conicum v. hemisphiericum, convexum, flori- 

 bits obtectum sguamisque omninb velatum. Fila articulata nulla. Flores rubri. 



1. Thonningia sanguinea, Vahl ! (Act. Soc. Hist. Nat. Hafn. vi. p. 121. t. 0, 1818). 

 Schumacher et Thonning, Dansk. Selsk. Skrivt. vi. p. 124. t. 6. Liebmaun in Pro- 

 ceedings of Assembly of Scandina\dan Naturalists at Christiania, 1844, p. 177. 



Conophyta purpurea, Isert, Reise nach Guinea, p. 283. 



Hab. Guinea ad Aquapim, Thonning. Abeokuta, Beat. Dom. Irving {fid. Ic. Pict.). 



