of certain Genera in the Flora Peruvicma. Ji77 



been sliown by Mr Brown to be identically the same with the 

 Tridax of Linnagus. Cavanilles considered the genus akin to 

 the RutaceeE ; by Ruiz and Pavon it Avas regarded as allied to 

 (Enothera ; and by JM. Desfontaines to the Oxal'idea, in which 

 opinion he has been followed by Decandolle. It is clear, how- 

 ever, that in many points of structure it differs essentially from 

 either of these families. I had long ago been struck by the 

 resemblance of Balhisia to certain ficoideous plants, particu- 

 larly to Mesembryanthemum villosum of Linnaeus; and an 

 accurate comparison of its structure leaves no doubt on my 

 mind of its really belonging to the same natural family, con- 

 necting the latter with the small group of Reaicmuriea. The 

 decandrous flowers may seem, at first sight, an objection to this 

 association; but it must be observed, that the stamina, in some 

 of the normal Ficoidea, although numerous, are nevertheless 

 really definite; their number being fifteen, forming a triplicate 

 of the lobes of the calyx. 



The genus having been so well illustrated by the authors 

 above mentioned, and still more recently by Dr Hooker and Mr 

 Lindley, it seems quite unnecessary for me to give a descrip- 

 tion of it, and I shall merely content myself with adding the 

 characters and synonyms of the species. 



1. B. verticillata, foliis lineari-angustissimis margine revolutis, bracteis 

 subulatis. 



Balbisia verticillata, Cav. Anal, de Cien. Nat. 7. p. 62. t. 46. 

 Ledocarpori chiloense, Desf. in Mem. Mus. 4. p. 251. t. 13. (optima). 



Decand. Prod. 1. p. 702. 

 CEnothera scoparia, Herb. Ruiz el Pavon. 

 Hab. in Peruvia inter ObragiUa et Canta {Ludoi. Nee, Ruiz et Pavon) ; 



atque in Chili, Dombey, Ruiz et Pavon. ?j (V. s. sp. in Herb. 



I^amb.) 

 Planta suffruticosa, ramosissiraa, sericeo-incana, OEnothercE v. Helian- 

 themi facie. Folia rectiiis, ut mihi videtur, simplicia, plerumque oppo- 

 site fasciculata, 3 v. 4, nunc tantiim 2, basi coadunata, lineari- 

 angustissima, margine revoluta, subacerosa, apice mucronulo, obtuso 

 nudo, internodiis soepius longiora. Flores terminales, solitarii, pedun- 

 culati. Bracteas plurimae, subulatie. 



2. B. peduncularis, foliis lineari-oblongis obtusis planis subtiis venis conspi- 

 cuis, bracteis linearibus. 



Ledocarpum pedunculare, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. t. 1392. 

 Cruckshanksia cistiflora, Hook. Bot. Misc. 2. p. 211. t. 90. 

 Hab. in Chili ad Coquimbo, Caldcleugh, Cruckshanks, Macrae. fy 

 (V. s. sp. in Herb. Lamb.) 

 I'olia triplf) latiora, plana, internodiis semper breviora. Pedunculi paruni 

 longiores. Bracteas pauciores, lineares, planae. Calyx longior. 



