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XXII. On the genus Henriquezia of Spruce. By George Bentham, Esq,, V.F.L.S. 



Read February 3rd, 1859. 



This genus is one of the many interesting new ones discovered by Mr. Spruce in 

 Northern Brazil and Venezuela. Some years since, I published the fii'st species received 

 from him, in the 6th vol. of Sir W. Hooker's Kew Journal of Botany ; but at that time 

 the fruit was not known. Since then Mr. Spruce has transmitted fine flowering specimens 

 of a second species, and fruits of two more, which, from their foliage, appear to be distinct 

 from the flowering ones. I am thus enabled to complete the generic character, and to lay 

 before the Society the accompanying illustrations from the artistic and accurate pencil of 

 Mr. Fitch. 



It will be observed that these trees have stipules, an inferior ovary, and five perfect, 

 nearly equal stamens ; and yet they undoubtedly belong to the family of BignoniacecB. 

 The afBnity which I formerly alluded to, with Platycarpimi of Humboldt and Bonpland, 

 is fully confirmed by these specimens, as well as by one or two fruiting specimens of the 

 true Flatycarpum gathered on the Orenoco by Mr. Spruce, which show that that genus 

 also has stipules, although, as in the first-received specimens of Henriquezia, they had 

 not been observed, being very deciduous. In Platycarpum the ovary is figured as supe- 

 rior. I have not seen the flowers ; but on the fi-uit there is an external scar at the base, 

 which shows that there had been a partial adherence to the calyx. In Senriqtiezia the 

 ovary at the time of flowering is entirely below the adherent part of the calyx. After 

 fecundation it gradually emerges, and the ripe fruit shows about its centre a transverse 

 convex line or scar left by the free part of the calyx on falling off. The fruit is nearly 

 flat and hard as in Vlatycarpum, but much larger and more woody ; and instead of open- 

 ing out vertically in four valves wliich remain attached by the central line formed by the 

 axial entire dissepiment, it opens horizontally to a Uttle below the middle in two entire 

 valves, down the centre of each of which, in the inside, is a raised line, being the remains 

 of the dissepiment. In each ceU are four large flat seeds, remarkable, at least in Mr. 

 Spruce's specimens, for their tendency to germinate whilst the capsule is yet attached to 

 the tree, — the radicle lengthening out, twisting round the seeds, and forming a kind of 

 network, the origin of which was very puzzling till I had carefully soaked the seeds and 

 traced it out. 



The genus, as I stated in the above-mentioned article, was dedicated by Mr. Spruce to 

 Senhor Henriquez Antonij, a native of Leghorn, but for more than thirty years settled at 

 the Barra do Rio Negro, where he has constantly rendered every assistance to scientific 

 and other travellers during that period. The species are aU described as trees of great 

 beauty, and some of them of considerable size. The following are the technical cha- 

 racters : — 



