180 flora indtca. [Menispermaceee . 



The leaves of this interesting plant are somewhat membranous, oblong-lanceolate 

 and acuminate, five-nerved at the base, glabrous on both sides and paler below, 6-7 

 inches long, and 2J-3 broad, with a long slender petiole (3-3^ inches), twisted near 

 the base, and falsely articulate at each end. In foliage it somewhat resembles Tino- 

 miscium, a genus of which the position is doubtful, the male flowers only being 

 known : with this it agrees in the elongated petioles, but the leaves are thinner, more 

 pointed, and five-nerved at the base ; still, though not identical in species, it is cer- 

 tainly probable that the two are congeners. 



2. ASPIDOCARYA, H.f. et T. 



Sepala 6-12, ovali-oblonga, interiora sensim latiora. Petala 6, cu- 

 neatoobovata, sepalia breviora. Mas. Stamina in columnam een- 

 tralem eylindricam apice antheras 6 horizontals gerentein coalita. 

 E(EM. Stamina sterilia 6, clavata. Ovaria 3, oblonga ; stigmata sub- 

 capital. Drupa pulposse, oblongse, cylindricse, putamine compresso 

 dorso argute carina to, ventre baud excavato. Semen pendulum, ob- 

 longum, antice rhaplie conspicua notatum. Albumen carnosura. Ra- 

 dicula brevis, hilo terminali approximata. Colyledones recta?, planse, 

 oblongse, tenuissimse, obliquse, basi divarieatae, dein parallels, margi- 

 nibus oppositis tantum se invicem obtegentes. — Frutex scandens, petio- 

 lis cum caule pseudo-articulaiis, prope basin debilibus subtortis, floribus 

 in paniculas racemiformes elongatas subcompositas axillares dispositis. 



This interesting plant comes very near Parabana, but differs in many points of 

 the structure of the female flower and fruit. The seed is attached to the top of the 

 cell, so that the ovule must be anatropous. The putamen and seed are also quite 

 flat anteriorly, and not excavated like those of Parabana. The inflorescence, too, is 

 very different. It therefore forms a new genus, the name of which is derived from 



cunris, a shield, and Kapvov, a nut. 



The wood of Aspidocarya differs remarkably from that of other Menispermacea , 

 iu respect of the crescent-shaped hundles of tissue, altogether reseinbliug liber, which 

 are found at the inner end of each wood-wedge. 



A piece of stem several years old, and from \-\ inch in diameter, is deeply furrowed, 

 spongy, and much compressed. Pith broad, white, of hexagonal soft cellular tissue, be- 

 coming much closer, smaller, and longer towards the wood, and occupying three-fourths 

 of the circumference of the stem. Medullary rays of dense cellular tissue. Wedges of 

 wood towards circumference, about 20, broadly ovate, margined radially by a narrow 

 crescent -shaped mass of pleurenchyma. Wood of dotted pleurenchyma, and nume- 

 rous very large vessels, with short transverse stria? on their walls. Liber-bundles 

 forming almost a horse-shoe round half the circumference of the wedge, the conti- 

 guous bundles approaching and almost cohering. The liber is annually added to, but 

 not the tissue at the inner end of the wood. Bark of several series of cellular 

 layers. 



1. A* uvifera (H.f. et T.) ; foliis rotunda to- vel ovato-cordatis 

 subpeltatis abrupte et louge acuininatis subtus ad nervos pilosis. 



Hab. In Sikkira exteriori subtropico, alt. 1-5000 ped. — (Fl. Mai. ; 

 ir. Jul.) (v. v.) 



Folia 

 4-6 



jylindrici 



lobis rotundatis vel subtruncatis ran us suhsagittatis, supra ad nervos puoescentia de- 

 mum glabra, subtus pnesertim ad nervos pilosa, basi 5-nervia, aeter um penninervia. 

 Pctioli c)lindrici, striati, basin versus incrassati. Panicula 4-8-pollieares, ranii 



