274 flora indica. [Fumariacea 



riora basi in saccos orbiculatos producta, apicibus concavis obtusis v. brevissime acu- 

 minatis ; interiora lamina obovato-rotundata, basi contraeta, oblique biloba v. cordata, 

 apice rostrata; appcndice dilatata subiuflata. Stigma lunatum. Siliqua -f- 1^-polli- 

 cares, plerunique exacte ellipticse v. elliptieo-ovatse, cylindraeese v. compressee, ravins 

 basi truncataov. cordatse (cf. Ic. Tent. FL Nep.), in stylum validum -|-^-polL angus- 

 tatse. Valva nimquam omnino indehiscentes, secpissime facile solute, rubrse, valli- 

 bus huraidis succulents, collibus siccioribus submembranacese. Semina oblique 

 obovata, subgibba, basi utrinque areola minus granulata notata, ambitu plerumque 

 subhispido-granulata. 



This is a very abundant Sikkim plant, whose extreme forms we have in vain at- 

 tempted to separate by any constant characters; whilst yet in that country, however, 

 we convinced ourselves that they all belong to one highly variable plant, and our 

 subsequent examinations, with the aid of Wallich's and our Khasia specimens, have 

 confirmed that conclusion. In the latter country we found it at the Kala Pani Bun- 

 galow only, where it is abundant. We further much doubt whether D. scandens 

 be distinct from this ; in the absence of perfect flowers we cannot pronounce posi- 

 tively, but the membranous valve of the pod is of itself not a sufficient character, 

 and the markings of the surface of the seed vary so much in the Sikkim plant, that 

 we cannot lay much stress on them. 



4. HYPECOUM, Tourn. 



Chiazospermum, Bernh. 



Sepala 2, decidua. Petala 4, exteriora anticum et posticura, obtusa, 

 triloba, subunguiculata, interiora trifida, lobo medio cochleariformi. 

 Stamina 4, petalis opposita, basi nuda v. utrinque glandula stipata ; 

 antherae biloculares. Ovarium 1-loculare, ovulis in placentis interval- 

 vularibus pluribus, isthinis transversis sejunctis. Capsula siliquseformis, 

 intus articulata, articulis monosperrais indehiscens v. dehiscens. Se- 

 mina compressa, umbilico ventrali lineari. — Herbse Mediterranea orien- 

 tates et Sibiricae, paucte Indica, annua, suceo aqueo, radice fusiformi, 

 foliis glands pinnatisectis, scapis eaulibusve pluribus simplicibus vel di- 

 visis, floribus terminalibus. 



This curious genus is intermediate in many respects between Papaveracece and 

 Fumariacece, having the flower much more regular than in most Fumariacece, but 

 not so regular as in Papaveracea ; in the characters of its petals it resembles Epi- 

 medium and Bongardia amongst Berberidece, as also in its definite stamina being 

 opposite the petals. The glands described by Endlicher at the bases of the filaments 

 are hardly visible in the species we have examined ; when developed they probably 

 represent the appendix within the spur of Corydalis, and are possibly also analogous 

 to the glands of Crucifera, and remotely to the glandular bases of the petals of Ber- 

 beris. The middle lobe of the inner petals resembles a deformed anther, and is said 

 by some authors to be occasionally polliniferous, an observation we cannot confirm. 



The opposition of the four stamens to the petals in thi3 genus would seem to confirm 

 Lindley's suggestion, that the corresponding lateral one-celled anthers of each bundle 

 in Fumaria, Cory da /is, etc., are the half-anthers of one stamen, for this would reduce 

 the staininal series of those genera to the same numerical formula as occurs in Hype- 

 coum, Epl medium, nxA Acer ant hus : and the two central perfect stamina of Corydalis, 

 Fumaria, etc., being opposite the outer petals, the abnormal fission of the two lateral 

 stamina may theoretically be supposed to result from the tendency to cohesion of all 

 the filaments in that Order being partially overcome by the great irregularity of their 

 corolla. Supposing that the disposition of the stamens and petals of Hypecoum had 

 been the prevalent one in Fumariacea, and that of Fumaria, Corydalis, etc., excep- 

 tional, the correctness of the above explanation would probably never have been 



