200 Mr. J. Miers on tJie genus Aptandra. 



small chalaza on the apex over the i*adicle ; the cotyledons are 

 large and fleshy, filling the entire cavity of the testa, flat within 

 and convex without ; the radicle is superior, very short and small, 

 and appears like an umbilicate disk. The plant in Gardner's 

 Brazilian collection, no. 760, is identical with the above*. 



Aptandra. 



The last collection of Mr. Spruce from the neighbourhood of 

 Obidos, on the river Amazon, contains among many very inter- 

 esting plants one of very singular and anomalous structure. It 

 is arborescent, with slender, smooth branchlets and somewhat 

 copious foliage, its leaves being alternate, smooth and petioled, 

 but without stipules. Its inflorescence is axillary, in long slender 

 branching panicles, the flowers numerous and minute, each being 

 supported upon a long filiform ebracteated pedicel. The calyx 

 is a short fleshy cup, quite free, with four short teeth, and hence 

 almost quadi'ate. The corolla consists of four fleshy, linear pe- 

 tals many times longer than the calyx, with their apex enlarged 

 by a concave pointed expansion, valvate in aestivation, forming in 

 bud a clavate head, surmounting a terete cylinder ; this at fu-st 

 opens like four reflexed valves, showing the anthers, but they 

 gradually separate to the base, becoming coiled and revolute, 

 like the corolla of a Hamamelis or a Chionanthus. The stamens 

 consist of a thick, fleshy, cylindrical tube, nearly the length of 

 the corolla, which has a clavate globular head, exhibiting the 

 anthers, arranged externally upon this, almost solid, fleshy, 

 globular connective; this has a very narrow orifice, and is 

 perforated down the middle for the style and stigma, which are 

 closely embraced by it. The anther-cells, eight in number, and 

 equal in size, are imbedded upon the external face of this con- 

 nective, forming an annular ring, each cell opening extrorsely, by 

 the separation of its external membranaceous valve, which re- 

 maining hinged at its base opens from top to bottom, and thus 

 all become alike permanently reflected. The pollen is composed 

 of white farinaceous granules, somewhat aggregated, and inclosed 

 in the inner imbedded valves of the anther-cells ; examined under 

 a microscope every granule is singularly cruciform, each arm 

 being terminated by a small rounded extremity, with a similar 

 globular elevation in the centre. Four small, fleshy, very distinct 

 and free hypogynous scales invest the base of the staminal tube, 

 and intervene between it and the petals, with which they alter- 

 nate ; they have a rounded and subemarginated summit, are 

 striately grooved and marked on both sides with lines of inter- 



* A figure of this species, with geneiie details, will be shown in the 

 ' Illustrations of South Amer. Plants,' vol. ii. plate 62. 



