374 ACCOITNT OF A NEW GENUS OF PLANTS, 



excited by the discovery of a floAver of such extraordinary 

 dimensions, the male flower is in many respects so singular, 

 and its structure is so admirauly illustrated by Mr. Bauer's 

 drawings, that, accompanied by them, even the present in- 

 complete account will probably be thought worthy of a 

 place in the Society's Transactions. 



Its publication is the less objectionable, as it may still be 

 a considerable time before the plant is met with in all its 

 states ; and however unsatisfactory our present materials 

 may l)e, either for determining its affinities, or the equally 

 important question, Avhether it be parasitic on the root to 

 which it is attached, there can be no doubt that it forms a 

 genus abundantly distinct from any that has hitherto been 

 described. 



It is proposed, in honour of Sir Stamford Raffles, to call 

 this genus Rafflesia, the name I am persuaded that Dr. 

 Arnokl himself would have chosen had lie lived to publish 

 an account of it ; and it may in the mean time be distin- 

 guished by the following characters. 



207] RAPFLESIA. 



PerianfJmim monophyllum, coloratum ; fuho ventri- 

 coso ; corona faucis annulari, indivisa ; Umbo quinquepar- 

 tito, sequali. 



Mas. Columna (inclusa) : limho cqncis reclinato, subtus 

 simplici seric polyandro ; disco processibus (concentricis) 

 tecto. 



Anfherm sessiles, su])globosa3, cellulosaD, poro apicis dc- 

 hiscentes. 



Fem. 



Rafflesia Aiinoldi. 

 Tab. 13—20 (XV— XXII.) 



DESCRirTIO. 



E liadice lignca horizon tali tercfi, IcTvi, crassitie fere et 



