Mr. J, Miers on the Menispermacese. 169 



in Pijcnarrhena and Antitaxis, and embracing the filaments, as 

 in the latter genus ; the filaments are thick and fleshy, flat in- 

 side, very convex outside ; the anther, as in Anelasma, is sub- 

 globose, formed of two collateral cells semiimmersed in the 

 gibbous, incurved, clavated apex of the filament, and it opens 

 horizontally by an introrse transverse suture into two gaping 

 valves, each cell being rendered bilocellate by a semiscptum, as 

 in Anelasma, Antitaxis, and Pijcnarrhena. The flower in its 

 structure thus most resembles that of Anelasma, only provided 

 with petals, but still more that of Antitaxis, only that the floral 

 parts are there tetramerous. 



These differences are so many and so manifest that they 

 justify the maintenance of Elissharrhena as a genus distinct 

 from Anomospermum. I have remarked, under Sciadotenia 

 (vok xix. pp. 325, 327) the analogy that exists in several points 

 between it and Elissaii'hena, both from Guiana. 



Elissarkhena, nob. — Flores dioici. Masc. Sepala 9, ternatim 

 disposita, utrinque puberula, margine ciliata, quorum 3 ex- 

 teriora bracteiformia, multo minora, 3 interiora intermediis 

 2-plo majora, orbiculata, concava, sestivatione imbricata, de- 

 mum expansa. Petala 6, sepalis triplo breviora, sublobato- 

 orbicularia, lobis lateralibus inflexis, imo cuneata, subcar- 

 nosa, glabra. Stamina 6, libera, ajqualia, petalis opposita et 

 unguibus affixa, illis fere duplo longiora ; Jilamenta imo tenuia, 

 subincurva, sursum gradatim incrassata, intus plana, extus 

 convexa, summo gibboso-clavata ; anther<2 subglobosfe, in- 

 trorsse, filamento semiimmersse, 2-lob8e, lobis rotundiusculis, 

 connectivo angustissimo collateraliter adnatis, singulis rima 

 horizontali bivalvatim hiantibus. 



Frutex Brasiliensis, scandens ; ramuli fistulosi, tomentosi ; folia 

 majuscula, ohlonga, e basi 5-nervia, nervis conspicuis extus 

 ramosis et transversim venosis, submembranacea, textura flac~ 

 cida, glaberrima, longe petiolata : paniculse ^ supra-axillares, 

 solitaricB vel gemina, tomentosa, petiolo 12-plo breviores ; pe- 

 dunculus ebracteatus, apice breviter trichotomus, ramis iterum 

 divisis, ramulis brevissimis, flores 3 fere sessiles gerentibus ; 

 inflorescentia hinc corymbulosa aut fere capitata ; flores parvi, 

 adpresse pubescentes. 



The only known species will be fully described in the third 

 volume of my ' Contributions.' 



Elissarrhena longipes, nob., huj. op. xiii. 124; — Anomospermum 

 grandifoliura, Eichl. in Mart. Fl. Bras, xxxviii. p. 169, 

 tab. 37. fig. 1. — In Brasilia septentrionali : v. s. in herb, 

 variis, Rio Negro (Spruce, 1538). 

 Ann. ^^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser.3. Vol.xx. 12 



