Mr. J. Miers on some genera of the Icacinacesc. 387 



sporidia are still a desideratum j and should it turn out that the 

 bodies observed in the smaller perithecia by Kunze and Montagne 

 are not young asci, though we believe them to be so, we shall 

 then be obliged to regard them as the Sphseropsoid form of the 

 trulv ascigerous sacs. Dr. Montagne, it should be observed, has, 

 like' ourselves, found undoubted asci in the small perithecia, of 

 which he has sent us numerous sketches. 



Plate XII. fig. 44. A transverse slice of one of the large sclerotioid 

 bodies, showing the conversion of the external cells into perithecia. Highly 

 magnified. See also Gardeners' Chronicle, Dec. 6, 1S51. 



XXXI. — On some genera of the Icacinacese. Bv John* Miers, 

 Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S. 



[Continued from p. 226.] 



Apodytes. 



The characters of this genus, suggested by Dr. Meyer, were 

 first published by Dr. Arnott in ' Hooker's Journal of Botany/ 

 and nearly about the same time by Mr. Bentham, in a memoir 

 given in the 18th vol. of the ' Linnrean Transactions/ The prin- 

 cipal feature by which it is distinguishable from Icacina, is the 

 subsequent growth of its ovarium into a form so extremely 

 gibbous, that the style appears as if it were produced upon one 

 side, where it is inflected downwards, aud at maturity this is 

 rendered manifest by the presence of a somewhat lateral scutelli- 

 form appendage, towards the summit of the fruit. It is how- 

 ever to be remembered, that nothing is yet known of the develop- 

 ment of the ovarium of Icacina, beyond its early stage, when it 

 exactly resembles that of Apodytes; and it is not at all improba- 

 ble, that in the respect just mentioned, they may turn out to be 

 alike, in which case the two genera must be regarded as identi- 

 cal, and all the species of Apodytes must then be referred to 

 Icacina. I have had no opportunity of examining the seed of 

 Apodytes, and in the following diagnosis have therefore added 

 its carpological characters from the description of Mr. Bentham, 

 which will be seen to conform with the analysis given by Dr. 

 Wight, in his 'Icones/ tab. 1153. The only other tangible 

 feature that can serve to distinguish these genera, is, that in 

 Icacina the anthers arc ovate, not long, linear, and profoundly 

 bifid below, and that the filaments are slightly induplicated at 

 their apex, not straight, as in Apodytes. 



Apodytes, E. Meyer; Arnott, Hook. Journ. Bot. iii. 155; 

 Benth. Linn. Trans, xviii. 683. — Flores perfect i, vel interdum 



