Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermacez. 257 
nists which I have just combated, in uniting Anelasma with 
Abuta: he divides this genus into four sections,—(1) Budua (or 
Abuta proper); (2) Batschia; (3) Anelasma; (4) Corynostemon, 
which is founded on the plant I have here described as Abuta 
(Batschia) acutifolia (Spruce, 2763), and which I placed in that 
section on account of its hairy stamens. I have shown that the 
stamen of this species differ in no respect from those of Batschia 
racemosa and A. Seemanni, except in the greater breadth of the 
filament in the three inner stamens: the section Corynostemon 
will therefore hardly be received as a valid one, as my analyses* 
will show. In regard to the determination of the several species 
of Abuta, I regret to differ as much with Dr. Eichler as with 
those botanists whose example he has adopted. The characters 
on which I have endeavoured to establish the species, according 
to the list that follows, are given at full length in my ‘ Contri- 
butions to Botany,’ now in type. 
Asura, Barrére, Aublet.—Flores dioici. Mase. Sepala 9, in or- 
dine ternario alterna, 6 exteriora bracteiformia, linearia, 3 in- 
teriora majora, deltoidea, acuta, concava, extus sericeo- 
tomentosa, zstivatione valvata, apice inflexa. Peéala nulla. 
Stamina 6, libera, subbiseriata, subeequalia, androecio brevi 
insita, sepalis opposita; filamenta subcarnosa, suberecta, 
‘apice incrassata, inflexa, et conniventia, glabra vel pilosa, 
3 interiora latiora ; anthere 2-lobie, lobis discretis, ovatis, sub- 
parallelis, ad filamentum utroque latere omnino adnatis, sin- 
gulis rima marginali longitudinali dehiscentibus.—Fam. Se- 
pala 6, ut in mare. Petala nulla. Stamina sterilia 6, equalia, 
filamenta filiformia, subincurva, ovariis equilonga, glabra aut 
pilosa, interdum clavata et hine apice glandulis 2 minutis 
signata, gynecio villosissimo aflixa. Ovaria 3, libera, sepalis 
interioribus opposita, dense sericea, 1-locularia; ovulwm soli- 
tarium, subincurvum, supra medium faciei ventralis funiculo 
brevi suspensum. Séy/us brevissimus, teres, subexcentricus. 
Stigma carnosum, deltoideo-obliquum, in lobos 3 digitatos 
laciniatum. Drupe 3, vel abortu pauciores, magne, siccie, 
valde tomentose, horizontaliter oblong, breviter stipitate, 
styl vestigio prope basin notatee; putamen oblongum, sub- 
compressum, utringue ultra medium sulcatum, coriaceum, 1- 
loculare, condylo septiformi sulcis apposito e basi ultra me- 
dium loculi protenso, proinde 2-marsupiatum, menospermum ; 
semen loculo conforme, bicrure ; albumen copiosum, carnosum, 
fissuris numerosis anfractuosis irregularibus profunde rumi- 
natum, infegumentis laxis tenuissimis intra fissuras plicatis 
cinctum ; embryo tenuis, teres, hippocrepice inflexus, centro 
* These will be figured in my ‘ Contributions to Botany.’ 
Am. &§ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. xiv. 17 
