Plate 2441. 



PERIDISCUS LUCIDUS, Benth, 



BlXINE.B ? 



P. lucidus, Benth. Gen. Plant i. 127; ramulis teretibus glabn's, 

 foliis amplis petioLitis coriaceis ovato^ oblongo- v. interdum obovato- 

 ellipticis acutis v. obtusiuscule breviter acuminatis basi plus minus 

 (interdum late) rotuniatis integris lucidis e basi trinerviis integer- 

 rimis, floribus parvis in racemos simplices plurifloros ad ramulurum 

 nodos inferiores dispositis, bracteis ovato-oblongis deciduis, sepalis 4-6 

 imbricatis obliquis extus liirto-pubescentibuis deciduis, filamentis an- 

 gustis incurvis glabrig extcrioribus basi irregulariter coalitis, ovario 

 depresso subhe^nisphoerico glabro usque ad medium disco carnoso cras- 

 siuseulo verticaliter sulcato adnato, 



Hab. On the borders of Brazil and V^enezuela : on the Uaupes and 

 Upper Pacimoni, Spruce (Nos. 28-43, 33S9). 



Arlor 50-80-pedaIis. Folia 4-9 poll, longa, 2-4| poll, lata ; petiolus 

 6-8 lin. longus ; stipul?e caducae. Racemi l-H^poll. longi. Flores 

 hennaphroditi v. masculi. 



Of the fruit I have only seen immature examples, and several of 

 these seem to be insect-punctured. They are ovoid, obovoid or ellips- 

 oidal and narrowed below into a short, stout, but distinct, stipes ; 

 the pericarp already of almost bony hardness. Dr. Warburg, in Engler 

 and Prantl, NafiirL Pjlnn-nifam. {Flaccmrtiacrrr, 54), describes it as 

 one-seeded ; the seed as exjilbuminous and the embryo curved ; adding', 

 that, on the ground of these seminal characters, the plant would seem 

 referable rather to I'ernstrwmiacece than to Flacourtiacefe. In this 

 view of its affinity I cannot acquiesce, and should like to see mature 

 fruit and seed before expressing any decided opinion. It may be that 

 the publication of this figure in the Icones riantarum may direct atten- 

 tion to what must be a rare tree, hitherto collected, so far as I know, 

 only by the late Mr, Spruce. In the meantime it may well remain 

 where Mr. Bcntham, without any note of doubt, left it. — D. Oliver. 



Fig. 1. Flowf'f. 2. Group of sturaens, 3. Autlier, front and Lack views. 4. Pistil, 

 with adnate dis^k. 5. Vertical sectioD of ovary, AU ef^iargcd. 



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