392 Mr. J. Miers on the History of the ' Mate' Plant. 



versus 2-3-fidis, cum pecliccllis 1-floris; floribus in c?5-meris, 

 in $ 4-meris, glaberrimis ; sepalis parvis, rotundatis ; petalis 

 oblongis, reflexis, calyce 4-plo longioribus ; drupa glabra, 

 piperiformi ; nucibus 5, singulis stria mediana prominula ca- 

 rinatis. — Paraguay ; in Brasilia australi introducta. 



Type a. — In the typical specimen sent to me by Bonpland as 

 the real Paraguay species, the leaves are very entire, or some- 

 times with only a slight indication of distant teeth near their 

 summit ; they are quite opake above, nearly concolorous : the 

 upper surface is smooth and almost nerveless ; but the nerves, 

 when present, are slender and prominent beneath. They are 

 3f inches long, If inch broad, on a petiole 3 lines long : about 

 four very slender fasciculated peduncles issue from an axillary 

 stipitiform nodule, each bearing three one-flowered pedicels : 

 the peduncle measures 3 lines, the pedicels 2 lines, with a glo- 

 bular flower-bud 1 line in diameter : sometimes one or two of 

 these pedicels arc wanting, in which case the peduncle is 5 lines 

 long and 1 -flowered. The specimen was collected at Candelaria, 

 in the province of Corrientes, " in a wood planted by the Jesuits." 

 — Herb. Bonpl. no. 596*. 



Var. /?. idonea ; — foliis crassioribus, rachi subtus crassiori. 



In this variety (sent with the preceding, without any locality) 

 the leaves are thicker and obsoletely dentated all round their 

 margin, which is revolute ; above, the nervures are distinct and 

 the midrib is thicker; the blade is 3^ inches long, ]^ inch 

 broad, on a petiole of 5 lines. The specimen is without flower 

 or fruit f. 



Var. y. dent at a, nob. ; — foliis e medio usque ad petiolum cu- 

 neatis, grosse dentatis, dentibus obtusis glandula minima 

 donatis ; fructibus piperis magnitudine. 



The leaves arc here more deeply and obtusely toothed for two- 

 thirds of their length, the lower portion being quite cuneiform 

 and entire; they are somewhat shining above, very smooth, with 

 immersed nervures ; the lower face is opake, with prominent 

 tine nervures, the midrib being much raised ; they ara 3 inches 

 long, H inch broad, on a petiole of 5 lines. The specimen is in 

 fruit ; the pedicels are fasciculated on a short nodule, and are 

 either 1- or 3-flowcred and 5 lines long; the drupe, seated on a 

 4-lobed calyx, is globular, 2 lin. diam., crowned with a thin, 

 flat, sessile, 4-lobed stigma. The plant is probably from one of 

 the old Jesuit plantations on the Uruguay j. 



* A drawing of this plant is given in Plate 61 a of the 'Contributions.' 

 t A sketch of this variety will he seen in Plate 61 b. 

 + An outline of this variety will be seen in Plate 62 a. 



