Mathewsiane. N. O. Sapindacee, 
TAB. CX XXII. 
AMIROLA NITIDA. 
Foliis ovatis serratis simplicibus ternatisque eglandulosis, utrin - 
que glabris, costa superne petiolisque dilatatis puberulis. 
Amirola nitida. Pers. Syn. Pl. v. 2. p. 565. De Cand. Prodr. 
v. 1. p. 616. 
Llagunoa nitida. Ruiz et Pavon, Fl. Peruv. Prodr. p. 252. 
Gen. Fl. Per. et Chil. p. 126. t. 28. 
8. Foliis omnibus simplicibus. (Tab. Nostr. CX XXII.) 
Has. Peru; and woods of Muna, and rocky places in the 
provinces of Canta and Caxatambo. Ruiz et Pavon. Pro- 
vince of Chacapoyas. Mathews, 1836. 
Ruiz and Pavon describe their original plant as having leaves both 
simple and ternate ; ours, which from the locality and other circum- 
stances I am disposed to consider the same, has only simple leaves. 
Humboldt and Kunth, having detected in New Grenada two other 
supposed species having all simple leaves, doubted the correctness 
of Ruiz and Pavon in ascribing ternate leaves ; but since another, a 
Chilian species, has decidedly ternate leaves, there is every reason to 
put confidence in the statements of the Spanish botanists: and I have 
hence made Mr. Mathews’ plant here figured a var. I am even dis- 
posed to look upon Humboldt and Kunth’s 2 species as not really dis- 
tinct from ours ; they were found at Loxa, at no very remote distance 
from the provinces above-mentioned, and the difference depending — 
upon scarcely any other character than the greater or less degree of 
pubescence of the leaves. Indeed those learned authors themselves 
say of their A. pinnifolia, “an A. nitida diversa?” and of their fol- 
lowing species A. mollis, “ precedenti simillima.” 
The species derives the name of nitida from the circumstance of 
the natives making rosaries of the black glossy seeds. The dilatation 
of the petiole is scarcely seen in the dry state, when the sides turn 
up, presenting a grooved front. 
Fig. 1. Back of a flower. f. 2. Front view of a male flower. hare ve 
do. of a female flower. f. 3. Pistil. f. 4. Capsule : nat. size. f. 5. 
burst open showing the 3 seeds :—all but f. 4. magnified. 
