Mr. J. Miers on the genera Hyoseyamus and Physochlena. 469 
alterna, dentata, vel sinuato-angulata, floralibus sepe geminis ; 
flores awillares, solitarti, secundi; corolla lutescens, sepe reti- 
culatim picta*. 
Hyoscyamus pictus, Bernh. MSS. ;—viscido-pilosus, foliis ellipticis, 
acutis, sub-3-lobis, infra medium szpe repandis, vel sinuatis, 
subamplexicaulibus, rachi, nervis, margineque lanato-pilosis ; 
flore breviter pedunculato, caule, pedunculo, calyceque pun- 
gente imo ventricoso lanato-pilosis, corolla ventricosa, glabra, 
sulphurea, venis violaceis reticulatim picta, ad ventrem sub- 
fissa, intus imo maculis magnis 5 violaceis ornata, limbi lobis 
subzequalibus obtusis, filamentis luteis, antheris violaceis in- 
clusis.—v. v. cult. 
PHYSOCHLANA. 
The plants composing this small group were for a long time 
considered as species of Hyoscyamus. Mr. G. Don (Dict. iv. 470) 
was the first to separate them as a distinct genus, on account of 
their entire leaves and their terminal corymbose purple flowers, 
but as in his generic character no feature appeared to indicate 
any difference from Hyoscyamus, either in the structure of the 
flower or the fruit, they have been retained in this latter genus by 
all succeeding botanists. M. Decaisne in describing an Indian 
species perceived the difference of its habit from that of Hyoscy- 
amus, and adopted it as the type of a new genus, under the name 
of Belenia, but this suggestion has in like manner been disre- 
garded. I have noticed however the following circumstances 
that seem to warrant the restoration of this genus. In Physo- 
chlena the apical gland is proportionally much smaller and far less 
conspicuous than in Hyoscyamus, for the ovarium being more 
conical, it covers only the extreme upper portion beneath the 
base of the style, and is distinguishable from the rest of its sur- 
face by its lurid purple colour: it offers also a larger and more 
conspicuous hypogynous, fleshy, yellow disc, which is sometimes 
searcely discernible in the other genus. Besides these points of 
variance, and the dissimilarity in habit, as well as in the colour of 
its corolla, the following differences are evident. In Hyoscyamus 
the flowers are always axillary, nearly sessile at the base of a large 
leaf, and generally secund ; the calyx increases very considerably 
in length, becomes stiff and rigid, and its teeth, conspicuous for 
their strong marginal nerves, ending in a long mucronate point, 
become hard and spiculate, and are always somewhat spreading ; 
the operculum is convex, nearly hemispherical, and of a bony 
consistence. In Physochlena, on the contrary, the flowers are 
never axillary, but always upon a more or less lengthened ter- 
* Analytical details of this genus will be given in a supplementary plate 
in the 2nd vol. of the ‘ Ulustr. South Amer. Plants.’ 
