40 Mr. J. Miers on the genus Mandragora. 



inserta, imo fornicataj crassiora et pubesceutia, superne fili- 

 formia, glabra ; anther<s erectse, oblongge, cordatse, apice atte- 

 nuatse, connective dorsali imo affixse, 2-lob8e, lobis parallele 

 adnatis, antice rima longitudinali deliiscentibus. Ovarium 

 ovatum, disco parvo carnoso lobulis 2 proniinentibus dissepi- 

 mento oppositis insitum, 2-loculare^ placentis valde incrassatis 

 dissepimento utrinque adnatis, multi-ovulatis. Stylus fili- 

 formisj apice inflexus. Stigma clavato-bilobum. Bacca magna, 

 calyce aucto membranaceo suffulta, 2-locularis. Semina plu- 

 rima in pulpam nidulantia, reniformia. Embryo teres, in al- 

 bumen carnosum hemicyclico-arcuatus, cotyledonibus semite- 

 retibus, radicula bilo basali spectante fere duple longioribus. — 

 Herbse perennes in Europa Australi indigence, acaules, radice 

 crassa, carnosa, folia radicalia, conferta, petiolata, basi atte- 

 nuata, integerrima, undulata ; pedunculi radicates, conferti, uni- 

 flori, apice incrassati. 



1. Mandragora officinalis, Linn., Flor. Grsec. tab. 232; Walpers, 

 Rep. iii. 104. 



2. Mandragora vernalis, Bertol., Com. Bonon. ii. 388. tab. 23 ; 

 Gsertn. ii. 236. tab. 131 ; Walp. id. 105. 



3. Mandragora prcecox. Sweet, Brit. Fl. Gard. ii. tab. 198 ; Walp. 

 id. 105. 



4. Mandragora microcarpa, Bertol., Com. Bonon. ii. 391 . tab. 25 ; 

 Walp. id. 105. 



The above generic character is formed in great measure from 

 a plant I had an opportunity of examining in its living state, 

 probably M. microcarpa. Its leaves are numerous, spreading, all 

 radical, lanceolate, acuminated at both ends, and decurrent on a 

 thick fleshy purplish petiole ; they are undulated and somewhat 

 sinuous on the crenulato-dentate margin, rough on both sides, 

 with several small tubei-cles bearing minute articulated hairs; 

 the very fleshy broad midrib, and about seven pairs of promi- 

 nent pinnate nerves, with intermediate reticulated veins, are 

 clothed with rather short articulated pubescence ; they are about 

 10 inches long, exclusive of a petiole of 2 inches, and 3 inches 

 broad. Several peduncles spring from the base of the petioles ; 

 they are erect, pubescent, thickened above, about 1^ inch long 

 and 1 -flowered. The calyx consists of a short campanular tube 

 2 lines long, with five equal naiTow linear acuminated erect seg- 

 ments, each 4 lines long ; the corolla is tubular, somewhat funnel- 

 shaped, about 6 lines in length, and 4 lines in diameter in the 

 mouth; the lobes of the somewhat oblique border ai'C oblong, 

 overlapped at base, tapering and obtuse at their summit, of a 

 pale blue or lilac colour, each marked with three parallel ner- 

 vures and numerous anastomosing veins, and are slightly ex- 



