132 nOTANY OF CONGO. 



ovarium entirely distinct fioin tlie calyx ; its capsule in ap- 

 pearance i>nd deliisccnce is exactly like that of Bursaria. 



The existence of this genus tends to comtiini what 1 

 have fornudy asserted respecting the Avant of satisfactory 

 distinguishing characters between these two orders, and to 

 prove that they belong to one natural class ; the ovarium 

 superum approximating it to Apocineac ; the interpetiolary 

 stipules and structure of seeds connecting it, as it appears 

 to nie, still more intimately with Rubiaceae. 



The arguments adduced by M. de Jussieu^ for excluding 

 listeria from Rubiaceae and referring it to Apocineae, are, 

 its having ovarium superum, an irregular corolla, fleshy 

 albumen, and only one stamen ; there being no example 

 of any reduction in the number of stamina in Rubiaceae, 

 (in which Opercularia and Poniax are not included l)y ]\I. 

 de Jussieu) while one occurs in the male flowers of Ophi- 

 oxylum, a genus belonging to x\pocine8e. From analogous 

 reasoning he at the same time decides in referring Gcert- 

 nera of Lamarck^ to Rubiaceae, though he admits it to 

 have ovarium superum ; its flowers being regidar, its all)u- 

 men more copious and horny, and its embryo erect. But 

 all these characters exist in the new genus from Congo. 

 These two genera therefore, together with Fcifjamea of 

 Aidjlet, listeria, Geniostoma of Porster (which is Anasser 

 -of Jussieu) and Lof/ania^' might, from their mere agree- 

 ment in the situation of ovarium, form a tribe inter- 

 449] mediate between Rubiaceae and Apocinea^. This tribe, 

 however, would not be strictly natural, and from analogy 

 with the primary divisions admitted in Rubiaceae, as well 

 as from habit, would require subdivision into at least four 

 sections : but hence it may be concluded that the only 

 combining character of these sections, namely, ovarium 

 superum, is here of not more than generic value ; and it 

 must be admitted also that the existence or absence of 

 stipules is in Logania* of still less importance. 



1 Amml da Mus. iVIUst. Nat. 10,;;. 323. ^ uUistr. Gen. tab. 167. 



3 Frodr. Flor. Nov. IIoU. 1, p, 455. » Prodr. Flor. Nov. Boll. 1, p. 455. 



