Mr. J. Miers on the genus Saracha. 445 
adnate with the dissepiment, but in Brachistus the placentz are 
thin, membranaceous, and branching at right angles from the 
axile line of the dissepiment into the cavity of the cell, when they 
are free, furcated and ovuligerous. In Saracha and in Physalis the 
embryo is semicyclical, the radicle being double the length of the 
cotyledons ; in Capsicum it is quite spiral and somewhat helical, 
the cotyledons being equal in length to the radicle ; but the latter 
describes only a half-circuit of much larger radius, while the 
former makes fully a complete gyration of smaller diameter. In 
Witheringia the embryo is subannular, forming nearly $ths of a 
circle by no means spiral, and the cotyledons are only {th of its 
whole length. The following I conceive to be the limits of this 
genus :— 
Saracua, R. & P., char. emend.—Calyz brevis, submembra- 
naceus, 5-angulatus, 5-dentatus, 5-nervosus, dentibus acutis 
brevibus, persistens. Corolla rotata, limbo sinuato, 5-angu- 
lato, seepissime 15-nervio, lobis s. angulis reflexis, zstivatione 
valde induplicato-valvata. Stamina 5, tubo corolle prope mar- 
ginem basalem affixa, ejusdem longitudine ; filamenta filiformia, 
erecta, basi triangulariter dilatata ; anthere approximate, ob- 
longe aut subrotunde, basifixee, 2-lobx, lobis arcte connatis 
et longitudinaliter antice dehiscentibus. Ovarium ovatum, 
2-loculare, placentis incrassatis septo adnatis, multiovulatis. 
Stylus simplex, longitudine stamimum. Stigma capitato-bilo- 
bum. Bacca globosa, calyce membranaceo parum aucto suf- 
fulta. Semina plurima, in pulpam nidulantia, parva, reni- 
formia: testa scrobiculata, hilo in sinu laterali: embryo intra 
albumen carnosum semicyclicus, teres, cotyledonibus uncinatis 
semiteretibus, radicula paulo inflexa infera hilo evitante di- 
midio brevioribus.—Herbze Americe intertropice plerumque 
perennes, procumbentes, dichotome ramose, pilose ; folia alterna 
vel gemina, integra, aut sinuato-dentata ; inflorescentia umbel- 
lata, pedunculo 2-6-floro, axillari vel e dichotomiis sepius orto. 
The following recorded species from the characters described 
appear to belong to this genus:— 
Saracha procumbens, R. & P. Flor. Per. 2. 43. tab. 180 8. 
umbellata, DC. Jacq. Hort. Schoen. tab. 493. 
contorta, R. & P. 1. c. tab. 180 a*. 
jaltomata, Schl. Linn. 13. Litt. 98 ; Linn. 19. 307. - 
Zuccagniana, R. & Sch. Syst. 4. 687. 
~———- villosa, G. Don, R. & Sch. Syst. 4. 684. 
dentata, RK. & P. 1. c. 2. 48. tab. 179 6. 
—— biflora, R. & P. Ll. c. 2. 42. tab. 179 a. 
Shi Be papal 
* Mathews, no. 3248. 
