Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermacese. 265 



lanceolato-uhlunfjis, e basi 5-nervia, petiolo limbo breviore : 

 racemus (^ axil/ aris, valde hirsutus, petiolo lomjior ; flores in 

 axillulis bracteolatis approximatis, sessiles, pro ordine majus- 

 culi, glabri. 



The only species will be described in the third volume of the 

 , Contributions to Botany/ 



Disciphania lobata, Eichl. loc. cit. p. 169, tab. 36. fig. 1 ; — Coc- 

 culus lobatus, Mart. Obs. MSS. n. 2803.— In Brasilia, 

 prov. Amazonica. 



63. QuiNio. 



This genus was proposed by Schlechtendal in the 'Linnsea ' for 

 1853, for an Indian plant received from Hohenhacker, respecting 

 which much doubt has existed ; it was referred by the former 

 botanist to the Menispermacece ; but, as its floral parts are penta- 

 merous, it has been rejected from the order by most authorities. 

 Notwithstanding this decision, I entertain no doubt that it is a 

 truly Menispermaceous plant; and, before explaining the reasons 

 for this opinion, I will recapitulate its characters as recorded by 

 Schlechtendal. It is entirely glabrous, its branches sulcately 

 striated and black ; its leaves alternate, transversely suborbi- 

 cular, cordate at base, retuse and mucronated at the summit, 

 5-nerved, the nerves branching externally, glaucous beneath, 

 2 inches long, 2\ inches broad, on a petiole 4 inches long, which 

 is swollen at base and articulated \apon the stem, almost palately 

 geniculated with the limb at the junction of the nerves. It has 

 a very elongated racemose panicle, with a black rachis 10 or 12 

 inches long, with alternate spreading branches 2\ inches long, 

 bearing at their summit several branchlets, often so much ap- 

 proximated as to appear almost umbelliform, each bearing from 

 one to three flowers obsoletely pedicellated : the glabrous flower 

 consists of Ave imbricated, obovate, concave sepals, which are 

 maculated in interrupted longitudinal lines; it has five petals 

 somewhat shorter and narrower than them, spathulately rhom- 

 boid, with their lateral margins lobulated and inflexed ; five 

 stamens opposite to and somewhat longer than them, and affixed 

 to their claws, bearing on their apex two minute eff'ete anther- 

 cells, slightly divaricated at base; in the centre are three distinct 

 ovaries, ovate, very gibbous, each containing a single ovule, and 

 surmounted by a short style with a very thick dilated stigma. 



It will readdy be seen that all these minutely detailed 

 characters agree precisely with those of Diploclisia inclyta, 

 except the number of sepals, petals, and stamens, which here 

 are five, instead of six. It may be inferred, therefore, that 

 Schlectendal, when drawing up his diagnosis, was misled by 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol.xx. 18 



