On the HyOrhya, or Milk-tree of' Demerara. 319 



the Apocyneae, as restrictetl by Brown, and it is now necessary 

 to inquire its genus. 



In the 1st vol. of the Wernerian Transactions, where Mr 

 Brown's paper on this order is published, no genera are de- 

 scribed but those which have the seeds comose, to which tribe, 

 from the appearance of the ovarium and ovula, I do not think 

 this can belong. But in the Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. p. 4-67, the 

 genus Tabernceviontana is introduced, and the description there 

 given agrees with the above in every point but one. Mr Brown 

 ascribes to that genus two ovaria, although only one style : the 

 same character is given to the genus by Lamarck, and by Vahl 

 (under T. undulatd), so that there is no doubt of that being 

 necessary to the genus ; and the point comes then to be, whether 

 or not, from the bad state of the specimens, I have been de- 

 ceived. In the mean time, however, although I have found a 

 solitary ovarium in the three buds I opened, I think it may be 

 placed in Taberncenwrdana until better specimens in flower be 

 procured, and the fruit be observed ; more especially as it ap- 

 proaches very closely in other respects to T. citrifoUa. 



In T, citrifolia, however, the segments of the calyx are acute ; and those 

 of the limb of the corolla linear-oblong, obtuse, and nearly equal in length to 

 the tube. In the species before us, as far as I can judge from the bud, the 

 segments of the corolla are very short and round, somewhat like those of the 

 calyx. The peduncles are axillary from ^ to 1 inch long, bearing a cymt of 

 few flowers. Bracteas opposite ; two usually large foliaceous ones at the 

 base of the principal ramification, and two small ovate and ciliated ones sub- 

 tend each of the other divisions : there is also a similar pair on the ultimate 

 pedicels below the calyx. Perhaps, on account of the foliaceous appearance of 

 the lower bractete, they ought to be called leaves, and then the inflorescence 



would be terminal on short axillary branches Petiols opposite, half an inch 



long ; leaves about 4 inches long, and 1 1 broad, oblong, not attenuated at 

 the base, but suddenly acuminated at the apex ; they are plane, somewhat 

 coriaceous, smooth, and entire, with diverging veins, that are parallel to each 

 other. 



I would propose to name this species T. utUis, from the circumstance al- 

 luded to in Mr Smith's account of it. 



T. utilis ; foliis oppodlis ohlongis acuminatis integerrimis subcoriaceis planif 



parallele venom, pedunculis cymosis axillaribus, calyce obluso ciliato, corolla 



timid laciniis rolundatis brevissimis. 

 Hah. Ad ripas fluminis Demerari. 

 I may further remark, that, in T. cilrifolia, the leaves are attenuated at 

 the base : in the allied T. alba they arc described as undulated, with an acute 

 calyx : and, in T. loMirifolia, which has the calyx obtuse, the leaves arc some- 

 what obtuse. 



