268 Mr. J. Miers on the genus Brachistus. 
cimens referred to, but the structure of the flower corresponds 
with that of all the plants above described. The leaves are 23— 
31 inches long, 1-1} inch saat upon a petiole 4—6 lines in 
length ; the peduncle measures $ 5 inch, the calyx 3 lines i 4 dia- 
meter ; the corolla, including the acuminated segments, is $ inch 
diameter. 
12. Brachistus Hookerianus (n.sp.);—fruticulosus, ramulis striatis, 
molliter pilosis, demum glabris ; foliis ovatis, utrinque abrupte 
acuminatis, imo in petiolum longe decurrentibus, utringue 
sparse molliter hirsutis, demum subglabris, ‘margine ciliatis, 
rachi incrassato venisque pinnatis glabris, geminis, altero multo 
minore ; floribus pentameris, parvulis, axillaribus, fasciculato- 
congestis ; ; calyce minimo, pubescente, margine integro, den- 
tibus 5, setaceis ; corolla lutea, glabra, tubo brevi, sabcampa- 
nulato, limbo rotato, 5-angulato, angulis acutis, pilosulis ; 
staminibus brevibus, glabris.—Ecuador, v. s. in herb. Hook. 
(Cerro de Lantana, Guayaquil, Jameson, et in horto Kewensi 
cultus.) 
This pretty species is remarkable for,the abundance and bril- 
liancy of its small yellow flowers. Its leaves are 2% inches long, 
12 inch broad, with a somewhat winged petiole $ inch long ; the 
peduncle measures 7 lines, the calyx 1 line, with remote setaceous 
teeth 3 a line in length ; the corolla is 5 lines in diameter. 
13. Brachistus diversifolius. Witheringia diversifolia, Klotsch 
MSS.; Walp. Rep. ui. 29;—suffruticosus, ramis teretibus, sub- 
glabris, ramulis pubescentibus; foliis ovatis, acutis, basi abrupte 
attenuatis, utrinque sparsim pubescentibus, plerumque gemi- 
nis, altero obtusissimo duplo minori; pedunculis axillaribus, 
solitariis, calyce 5-dentato, corolla lutea, 5-fida.— Mexico. 
This plant was cultivated in the Botanic Garden of Berlin, 
from whence the particulars of the above description are proba- 
bly derived. 
14. Brachistus Neesianus. Physalis arborescens, Linn. Sp. Pl. 
261; Nees ab Esenb. Linn. vi. p. 456 ;—suffruticosus, ramulis 
angulatis, tomentosis ; foliis alternis, superioribus geminis, 
ovato-oblongis, acumine obtusiusculo, attenuatis, ineequaliter 
repando-dentatis, crassiusculis, supra subtiliter, subtus densius 
tomentosis, pilis canis, stellatis ; floribus paucis (2-3), extra- 
axillaribus, pendulis ; calyce urceolato, pubescente, 5-fido, den- 
tibus ovatis, obtusiusculis, canescentibus ; corolla rotata, ultra 
medium 5-fida, laciniis lanceolatis, extus tomentellis ; fructu 
ignoto.—Mexico (Yucatan). 
This plant has always been referred to Physalis, but doubtfully 
by Nees, who hardly considered it to belong to that genus, on 
