Pl^te 2404. 



RAMISIA BRASILIENSIS, Oliv. 



NYCTAGiNEiE. Tribe Lkucastee.e. 

 Ramisia, Glaziou in Bull. Soc.Linn. Par. 1887, 697. Flores exinvo- 



lucrati, eLracteolati, hermaphroditi. PeriantMvm floriferum profunde 

 4-fiduui, tubo medio contracto inferne turbinate c. 12-costato ovarium 

 cingente, segmentis limbi erectis induplicato-valvatis ; perianthium fruc- 

 tiferum accrescens, segmentis limbi explanatis, oblongo-lanceolatis, mu- 

 cronatis, subaiqualibus. Stamina 2 leviter perigyna, fere ad basin tubi 

 inserta ; filamenta complanata ; anthene didymse, loculis longitudinaliter 

 dehiscentibus induplicatim applicitis, dorso inferne carnoso-iiicrassatae. 

 Ovariiim liberum, oblique ovoideum, tomentellum ; stigma subsessile, 

 obliquum. Ovulum solitarium, e basi cavitatis ovarii erectum, cam- 

 pylotropum. Semina . . . Avhor meAiocvis, ramulis Jlexuosis teretihus, 

 7iovellis lepidotis, deinde glahratis. Folia alterna, petiolata, mem-^ 

 hranacea v. tenuiter coriacea, elliptica, ohtusa v. obtuse acutata, bast 

 cuneata v. leviter rotundata, supra ylabra, subtus appresse suhargenteo- 

 V. brunneo-le2ndotis. Flores viridescentes scepius in fasciculis pauci- 

 Jloris V. racemulis axillaribas hreviter pedicellatis, extus lepidotis. 



E. brasiliensis, Oliver (sp. unica). 



Hab. Brazil; Minas Geraes, Glaziou (No. 15,385); R. Janeiro, 

 near Cantagallo (Xo. 16,320 ; No. U,221 near Rio). 



Folia 2-5 (sa?pius 2^-3^) poll, longa. Flores 6-7 lin. longi : perian- 

 thium fructiferum 11 "poll. latu)u ; segmenta explanata i poll, longa, 

 ^ poll lata ; tubus infra constrictionem 1^-2 lin. longus atq. latus. 



Unfortunately, I liave not succeeded in finding well-ripened seeds of 

 this \ ery interesting plant, but there can be no doubt of its affinity, 

 and that it is a near ally of Reichenbaclda, Spreng. and Lencastt.j; 

 Chois. to the former of which genera I was at first disposed to refer it. 

 It differs from Eeichenhachia in its much-accrescent, deeply divided 

 perianth, and distinct perigyny of its stamens.* It presents ^ very 

 singular analogy, as M. Ballloa, I.e., points out, with Elaagnus m its 

 lepidote indumentum, inflorescence, form of perianth, the lower part of 

 the tube constricted around the ovary, and monocarpellary pistil. It 

 is, however, dlandrous, and the ovule (and doubtless the fruit) is clearly 

 Nyctagineous. Whether we have here a suggestion of phyllogemc 

 relationship with Ehmgnus may be a question worthy of consideration. 

 As M. Baillon, I.e., simply cites a jMS. generic name (only) of 31. 

 Glaziou for this plant, with a full, but not formal, description of it, 1 

 have thought it expedient to give a description in the usual form.— 



B. Oliver. 



Fig. 1. Flower. 2. DetocheJ scale of it.'< in.lumenti.ra. 3. Vertical section of 

 flower. 4. Stamen, back and front view. 5. Accrescent limb of penauth-a/< 

 enlarged. 



* I observe M. Baillon speaks of the stamens as hypogynous. I have reexamined 

 a flower wiih regard to this, and can only confirm the description as given above. 



