[ 125 ] 



VII. On Brachynema and Phoxanthus, two new Genera of Brazilia/n Flanta. 

 By Geoege Bentham, Esq., F.L.S. 



K«ad 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 

 l)efore the Linnean Society the following descriptions, accompanied by drawings carefully 

 executed by Mr. Fitch, iu the hope that their publication may be the means of further 

 elucidating the immediate affinities of these plants. 



1. Brachtnema eamlflorum. (Tab. XXII.) 



This plant, 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 Galileos 

 or Ticareas, whilst the structure of the flowers is nearer that of Ebena^ece. I should 

 indeed have had little hesitation iu considering it as a true Ebenacea, slightly anomalous 

 in inflorescence, in the shape of the corolla, and ia the hermaphrodite flowers, were it not 

 for the leaves. These have the general form and appearance, the unequal petioles, and 

 the evident tendency to articulation at the summit of the petioles, of several unifoliolate 

 Rutaceee. The surface of the leaf is not however covered with the minute resinous dots 

 of most Diosmece, 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 

 BiosmecB. The same circumstance may however be observed in some Euphorbiacece, 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 aestivation of its thick 

 lobes, have nothing in them incompatible with the gamopetalous DiosmecB, but here aU 

 afiinity ceases. The insertion of the stamens, the structure of the ovary, the firuit with 

 its enlarged calyx, are nearly those of EbenacecB. 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 a 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 EbenacecB ; 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 coroUa. 



I should add, that the flowers appearing only on the older branches of the tree, the 



