188 ON THE PROTEACE.E OF JUSS1EU. 



in the style being deciduous, and perhaps also in the num- 

 ber and form of its seeds. If these are but two in number, 

 it would be still more nearly related to Orites ; but some- 

 thing in its whole appearance, and especially its uncom- 

 monly large bractese, indicates its being a distinct genus. 



According to Labillardiere, it is a native both of New 

 Caledonia and the south-west coast of New Holland : but 

 as I am acquainted with no plant of the order, which has 

 so wide a range as this, and as it may be presumed the 

 specimens from New Holland were very imperfect, other- 

 wise so remarkable a plant would surely have found a place 

 in the body of his work, I may be permitted to question 

 the accuracy of the statement. I confess however that I 

 know no plant of Lewins Land with which this could be 

 confounded. 



Roupala pinnata. Lam. Illust. Gen. \,p. 243, n. 1282. 

 Poiref, Encyc. Botan. 6, p. 317. Budge, PL Guian. 25, 

 t. 38. 



There can be little doubt of this plant constituting a dis- 

 tinct genus; but its fruit being entirely unknown, it is 

 better to place it among those which require a further ex- 

 amination. It was referred to Rhopala at a time when 

 that genus w T as not at all understood. In its compound 

 223] leaves, its irregular calyx, and even in some degree in 

 the glands subtending the ovarium, it seems to approach 

 more nearly to Gevuina ; and I am therefore inclined to 

 think its fruit will be found to be a drupa, and not a folli- 

 culus as that of Rhopala. The whole plant however is so 

 remarkable, that I here add a description taken from an 

 excellent specimen, in Mr. Lambert's Herbarium, collected 

 by the unfortunate Martin in Guiana ; where it seems to 

 have been first found by Richard. 



Frutex? v. Arbor. Bamuli teretes, tomento minuto 

 cinerascentes. Folia alterna, abrupte pinnata, 3-4-juga. 

 Foliola opposita, petiolata, late ovata, obtusa quandoque 

 acutiuscula, integerrima, glaberrirna, super nitida, subter 

 fere opaca, venulis anastomozantibus parum emersis reticu- 

 lata : dum 3^ uncias longa 2 uncias lata. Petioli partiales 



