3 



same species. This was not discovered until representations of typical 

 specimens of both had been drawn on the stone. There is considerable 

 diversity in the shape of the leaves of this species, and especially in the 

 tips of the same, from slightly glandular-apiculate to a cucullate 

 prolongation nearly a quarter of an inch long. 



Limitation of the Gexus Sapium. 



The genus Sapium, P. Browne, has been variously lin\ited and 

 defined by different writers on tlie Euphorbiaceae. J. Mueller at first 

 (Liunaea, 1863, vol. xxxii. pp. 84, 115) retained it as a distinct genus, 

 but later (Ue CaudolIe\s Prodromus, 1866, vol. xv. 2, p. 1202, and 

 Flora Brasiliensis, 1874, vol. xi. 2, p. 611} he treated it as a section of 

 Excoecaria, Linn. H. Baillon had previously (Etude generale des 

 Euphorbiacees, 1858, p. 510) reduced nearly a dozen commonly 

 recognised genera to Saphim ; whilst Bentham and Hoohcr (Genera 

 Plantarum, 1880, vol. iii. p. 334) restricted it to the American species 

 as here illustrated, and to a few Old World species which I have not 

 examined. I do not propose discussing and valuing these very 

 divergent views, as that would involve much investigation. It is 

 sufficient that Patrick Browne's genus Saphim, as adopted by Jacquin 

 (SeL Stirp, Amer. Hist., 1763, p. 249, t. 158), was founded upon an 

 American species, of which all those described and figured here are 

 undoubtedly congeners ; but it may be useful to add a description 

 embodying the essential and general characters of the genus as repre- 

 sented by these American species. 



Arhores medlocres fruticesve, saepissime undique glabri. Folia 

 simplicia, alterna vel subopposita, stipulata, petiolata, saepissime 



lanceolata vel oblongo-lanceolata, nunc linearia, nunc late elliptica 

 vel fere orbicularia, apice uniglandulosa, plana, incurva vel cucullata, 

 integra, denticulata, glanduloso-denticufata vel glanduloso-ciliata ; 

 petiolus fere semper biglandulosus, glandulis lateralibus superioribus 

 vel inferioribus stipitatis sessilibus vel immersis raro ad basin laminae 

 locatis, Stipulae saepius latae, rotundatae, rarius inconspicuae, 

 Flores monoici, parvi, flavi vel virides perianthio simplice, spicati vel 

 racemosi, masculi sub quaque bractea plures aggregati,subse8siles, 

 feminei solitarii, sessiles vel breviter pedicellati. Sficae lateralcs vol 

 terminales, androgynae, ad basin floribus femineis pluribus, parte 

 mascula dcmum decidua, rarius unisexuales. Bracfeae saepius latae, 

 rotundatae, integrae, fimbriatae vel denticulatae, basi glandulis 

 2 collateralibus magnis carnosis peltatis oblongis vel OTbicularibus 

 instructae. Bnuieolae nullae vel ad squamas vel filamenta redactae. 

 Perianlhium florum masculorum bipartitum segmentis rotundatiB. 

 Stamina 2, exscrta, anthcris bilocularibus. Perianlhium florum 

 femineorum saepius tubulosum, ovarium includens, tridentatum, 

 interdum alte trifidum vel fere tripartitum. Ovarium l-~3-Ioculare 

 (an unquam ah initio vere uniloculare ?), lorulis uniovulatis. Styli 



