140 Mr. J. Miers on the genus Nicandra. 
ato-incisis, in petiolum longum decurrentibus, glaberrimis ; flori- 
bus pedunculatis, solitariis, extra-axillaribus, cernuis, pedunculo 
Sructifero elongato, erecto, apice recurvo. 
1. Nicandra physaloides, Gaertn. u. 237. tab. 1381; Bot. Mag. 
2458. Atropa physaloides, Linn. ; Jacq. Obs. iv. tab. 98. Phy- 
salis datureefolia, Lam. Ency. i. 102. Calydermos erosus, 
R.& P.ii.44. Alkekengi, Feullé, Obs. 724. tab. 16.—Planta 
omnino glabra, radice fibrosa, perennante ; caulibus frondosis, 
ramosissimis, annuis ; foliis glabris, oblongis, acutis, sinuato- 
incisis, in petiolum longum decurrentibus ; calyce reticulato, 
nitido, aucto; corolla magna, azurea, campanulata, fundo al- 
bido, maculis 5 obscure ceeruleis notata.—Peruvia, v. v. 
This plant is well known in most tropical countries, where it 
has become almost indigenous ; it is cultivated in the open air in 
Kew Gardens, from which source an ample opportunity has been 
afforded of examining its structure in a living state. It grows 
there to the height of about 5 feet ; in warmer climates it attains 
a height of 6 or 8 feet ; its leaves are oblong, irregularly inciso- 
sinuate on the margin, with an acute summit, cuneate at base, 
and decurrent on the channeled petiole ; they are about 63 inches 
long, upon a petiole of 13 inch, are about 4 inches broad, and 
quite glabrous. The peduncle is pendent, about.% inch in flower, 
growing to a length of 14 inch in fruit, when it becomes erect 
and suddenly deflexed at its thickened apex: the calyx is 9 lines 
long from its base to the point of its segments, or 1 inch long 
including its basal lobes; the segments are erect, with their 
margins undulated and connivent with the adjoming ones for 
their lower half, salient, producing the appearance as if it were 
5-winged ; in fruit it preserves the same form, becoming almost 
globular and vesicular, and of very reticulated texture, with the 
points of its segments conniving and wholly concealing the berry. 
The corolla is about twice the length of the calyx, broadly cam- 
panular, swelling gradually upwards from its middle ; the lobes 
of the border are rounded, somewhat erect and overlapping each 
other at the base, and suddenly revolute towards their apex, which 
is very obtuse, with a slight emarginature on each side of a short 
central point; the stamens are scarcely one-third of the length 
of the corolla, arising from as many glands adnate to the base of 
the tube, forming a kind of fornix about the ovarium, and clothed 
with densely woolly brachiate hairs ; the filaments above are quite 
smooth, erect, and incurved at the apex; the style is short, erect, 
surmounted by a large, globular, woolly or papillose stigma, com- 
posed of five segments closely connivent ; the ovarium is seated 
upon a small crenulated yellow gland. The berry is quite glo- 
bular, about 8 lines in diameter, with three to five cells of unequal 
