88 flora indica. [Anonacece. 



petals imbricated in aestivation. This important character was first indicated by 

 Bentham, in the Niger Flora. 



A second tribe, which we propose to call Mitrephorecp, has been indicated by 

 Mr. Bennett, iu his valuable remarks under Saccopetalum in Horsfi eld's c Plantaj 

 Javaniea3 Rariores/ It comprises a number of genera, in which the inner petals are 

 more or less unguiculate at the base. In Orophea and Mitrephora, which may be 

 considered the typical genera of this tribe, the claw is long aud slender; but in others, 

 which appear to form a transition to the typical genera of Anonace^y it is very short 

 and much broader. 



A third aberrant tribe has also been indicated by Mr. Bennett ; it comprises the 

 genera AlpAonsea, Saccopetalum s and Miliusa. Mr. Bennett has characterized this 

 tribe by the small size of the outer petals, and by their similarity to the calyx ; but 

 in the genus Alpha asea, which evidently forms a part of it, this character is not pre- 

 sent, while it occurs in P/iceantAus, which cannot be separated far from Guatteria, as 

 well as in some other species not naturally allied to the genera above mentioned. 

 The true character of the tribe, we think, lies in the shape and structure of the 

 anthers, which, instead of being densely wedged together as in the other tribes, are 

 broadly oval or oblong, with large short cells, and a small terminal apiculus of con- 

 nectivum. These anthers rise above one another in a laxly imbricated manner, 

 so that the greater part of each is exposed ; whereas the normal stamen of the Ord 

 is erect and columnar, with the dilated process of the connective alone visible, whiie 

 the linear anther-cells are completely concealed. 



Mortodorea, which we propose to regard as a fourth tribe, contains only a single 

 species, characterized by the distribution of the ovules over the whole surface of the 

 solitary ovary. This very remarkable structure, which is very rare among plants, 

 occurs in the nearly allied family Lardizabalew, to which this tribe exhibits an in- 

 teresting transition. It is found also, curiously enough, in the apocarpous mono- 



cotyledouous Order Butomacea. 



f lhe remarkable Australian genus Eupomatia, described by Mr. Brown in 'Flin- 

 ders' Voyage,' and referred by him without doubt to Jnonacea, cannct surely be se- 

 parated from the remainder of the Order, but forms a fifth aberrant tribe, the well 

 known characters of which it is unnecessary to repeat here. We believe that 

 this interesting plant has not been found by any botanist but its illustrious disco- 

 verer, aud though it has been introduced into our conservatories, it has never flowered 



there. 



Iu the remainder of the Order the perianth is valvate in aestivation, the petals are 

 never unguiculate, the anthers are numerous and densely packed, and the ovules 

 arc cither erect from the base of the ovary, or arise from the ventral suture. This 

 combination of characters, marking the typical Anonacece, is present in about one- 

 half of the Indian species, and in a much larger proportion of those of America. 

 Anions these, Anonea, with the ovaries cohering together in the flower, and atter- 

 wards developed into a compound fruit, form a well-marked tribe. The remaining 

 genera we propose to divide into two tribes, Xylopiece, with thick fleshy inner 

 petals, which are triquetrous, except at the base, and Guatteriea, with coriaceous 

 inner petals, not materially different in shape or texture from the outer ones. These 

 tribes appear to us very natural ; but they pass by such insensible gradations into one 

 another, that the limit between the two is quite arbitrary. 



In the formation and circumscription of the genera, it has been our aim m the nrst 

 instance to bring together those species which possess a similar habit, aud which ap- 

 pear to us to form natural groups, and to select as generic distinctions such characters 

 as are common to the species thus associated. This has led us to study with care the 

 relative importance of the floral organs, and we have in consequence made considerable 

 alterations in the limits of the genera. We cannot expect that the .onelusions 

 at which we have arrived will be final, as our attention has been confined almost en- 

 tirely to the Asiatic forms; but it may be serviceable to the future monograph!* oi 

 this difficult Order, to state the degree of value we are disposed to attach to eacn 

 character. 



