296 OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL FAMILY 



volume of the Transactions of the Natural History Society 

 of Copenhagen, as a distinct genus, under the name of 

 Melanthera: and in 1803 by Richard, in Michaux's Flora 

 Boreali-Americana, where it is called Melananthera, and 

 117] where the two species included by Linnaeus in his 

 Bidens nivea are for the first time distinguished: and 

 lastly this genus, as named and determined in the work of 

 Michaux, is adopted by Persoon in his Synopsis. 



But as both Von Rohr and Richard have given only the 

 natural character of the genus, and the essential character 

 proposed by Persoon is not altogether satisfactory, I have 

 added the following, and adopted the more generally re- 

 ceived name of 



Melananthera. 



(Richard) in -Michaux Amer. ii, p. 106. Melanthera 

 Von Rohr in Kiobenh. Naturhist. Selskab. bind, ii, hefte 1, 

 p. 213. Amellus Browne Jam. 317. Bidentis species 

 Linn, Caleae species Jacquin. 



Involucrum duplici serie polyphyllum, subaequale. Re- 

 ceptaculum paleaceum, convexum, paleis foliaceis. Flosculi 

 tubulosi, uniformes, hermaphroditi. Achenium turbinatum 

 angulatum vertice depresso. Pappus e setis (2 — 18) sca- 

 bris, distinctis, deciduis. 



Herbae (Americae aequinoctialis et temperatae)^?/^sc<?;2fes, 

 scabrcs. Folia opposifa, indivisa v. sublobata. Capitula 

 terminalia, pedunculis unifloris, elongatis, tematis, gemi- 

 nisve. Involucrum foliaceum. Receptaculi hemisphcerici 

 paleae foliolis involucri subsimiles. Corollae albidce. An- 

 therae nigricantes, appendicibus apicis albidis, basi muticce ; 

 paulo post expansionem corollce exsertce, dein (contractione 

 flamentorum) fauce inclusce. Stigmata appendice acuto 

 hispidulo, post retractionem tuhi antherarum exserta ; demum 

 subinclusa} 



1 In the extensive collection of plants made by mj lamented friend Dr. 

 Smith, on the banks of the Congo, I have observed a Syngenesious genus, 

 which, though belonging to Polygamia superflua and having yellow flowers, is 

 in other respects so nearly related to Melananthera, that had it been found with 



