22 ’ Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermacee. 
sepals in two series, imbricated in estivation, three small, ovate, 
erect petals, and a central stamen almost concealed by the pe- 
tals. It is, however, in the structure of the stamen that this 
genus differs essentially from Stephania: in the latter genus the 
anther has three or six cells, connate in an annular ring, affixed 
on the margin of a peltate disciform connective, which is sup- 
ported on the central filament; these cells always burst bival- 
vately by a crenated horizontal line of sutures. In Perichasma 
the anther has no connective, is comparatively large, completely 
globular, simply 1-celled, and dehisces- by a somewhat small 
apical opercular valve, which is supported by a columella-like 
extension of the filament (or placentoid of M. Chatin), round 
which the grains of pollen are secreted ; the wall of the globular 
cell consists of a finely reticulated membrane (apparently defi- 
cient of the usual inner lining or endothecium), is very delicate 
in texture, without the slightest vestige of any dissepiment 
or nervure, its three indented furrows being due to the external 
pressure of the petals which embrace it in the bud. This 
organization of the anther is without any parallel in the Meni- 
spermacee, and reminds us of the opercular theca of some of the 
mosses. 
. The generic name is derived from rept, circum, circa, yaopa, 
hiatus, in allusion to the feature just mentioned. I have placed 
it among the Cissampelidee, but I am not certain that this is its 
proper place. 
Pericuasma, nob.—Flores dioici. Masc. Sepala 6, biserialia, 
quorum 3 interiora paululo longiora, oblonga, submembranacea, 
demum expansa. Petala 3, dimidio breviora, orbicularia, 
carnosula, margine membranacea, erecta, sepalis exterioribus 
opposita. Stamen unicum, centrale ; filamentum tenue, petalis 
brevius ; anthera majuscula, globosa, leviter 3-sulcata, apici- 
fixa, septorum nullo vestigio omnino 1-locularis, theca tenuiter 
membranacea et minutissime reticulata, supra medium rima 
horizontali operculatim dehiscente, operculo parvo, apicali, co- 
lumella centrali suffulto ; pollen simplex.— Fem. ignoti. 
Frutex scandens Africe tropice ; rami longe pilosi ; folia alterna, 
peltata, oblonga, imo truncata, palmati-nervia, margine grosse 
crenata, sparse pilosa, longe et tenuiter petiolata: intlorescentia 
3 supra-axillaris, longissime racemiformis, pendula, pedunculo 
tenuissimo, puberulo, alternatim ramoso, ramis iterumque ra- 
mosis, ramulis plurifloris ; floribus minutis, alternis, pedicellatis, 
glabris. 
The single species, Perichasma letificata, will be described in 
the third volume of the ‘ Contributions to Botany.’ 
[To be continued. ] 
