Mr. J. Miers on some genera of the Icacinaceae. 391 



The leaves here are 3^ to 4 inches long, 1^ inch broad, on a 

 petiole of 2 lines ; the axils are generally f inch apart, with about 

 eight flowers in each ; the flowers in bud are 3 lines long, on a 

 pedicel of 2 lines. 



2. Rhaphiostylis Heudelotii, Planch. MSS. ; — glaberrimus, foliis 

 oblongo-ellipticis, utrinque acuminatis, apice repente angus- 

 tatis, coriaceis, subtus pallidioribus, breviter petiolatis ; tiori- 

 bus axillaribus, pedicellatis, e nodo crebre bracteato 8-10-fas- 

 ciculatis. — Senegambia (Heudelot, 723 : v. s. in herb. Hook.). 



This is certainly a distinct species, the leaves being consider- 

 ably larger than the former, more attenuated in the apex, paler, 

 more coriaceous, the axils more distant, and the flowers larger. 

 The leaves are 5^ inches long, 2 inches broad, on a petiole of 



3 lines: the axils are If inch apart; the flowers in bud measure 



4 lines in length, and 1 line in diameter, upon pedicels 2 lines 

 long ; the pistil is at least a line longer than the petals ; the 

 calyx is very small : the whole plant is entirely glabrous, and like 

 the former blackens in drying*. 



Leretia. 



This genus, although previously known from the rough and 

 very incorrect figure in the ' Flora Fluminensis/ was first 

 described by Mr. Bentham in the 'Linn. Trans/ xviii. p. 680. 

 It resembles his Pogopetalum in having its petals clothed inside 

 with long silky hairs, and bears some analogy with Rhaphiostylis 

 and Pennant ia in exhibiting two erect processes about the base 

 of the style, which in all these instances may be considered as 

 additional and rudimentary styles, corresponding with as many 

 abortive cells of the ovarium : this hypothesis is rendered the 

 more probable by the fact, that in making a transverse section of 

 the ovarium, these abortive cells may be distinctly traced in the 

 fleshy covering, upon the side correlative with the stylar appen- 

 dages. As in the other genera last mentioned, the suspension 

 of the two somewhat collateral ovules is from a point below 

 the apex, towards the side of the abortive cells, and they are 

 here attached to a thick fleshy bell-shaped podosperm with a con- 

 spicuously crenated margin. The ovarium is densely covered 

 with long adpressed erect hairs, which as well as those of the 

 petals are thickly spotted with prominent, oval, transparent 

 glands, arranged in closely spiral lines all over their surface. I 

 did not meet with its fruit, nor have I found it in any herba- 

 rium, so that I cannot offer any particulars of its seminal struc- 



* This species, with an analysis of its tioral structure, will he represented 

 in plate 6 of the ' Contrihutions to Botany,' &c 



