Air. J. Miers on some yenera of the Icacinaceae. 393 



cifically from the others. It forms a tree with spreading branches, 

 of which the branchlets are acutely angular as above described. 

 Its leaves are 6 inches long, 2^ inches broad, on a petiole ^ of 

 an inch in length : the panicle is from 2 to 3 inches long, with 

 its branches spreading at right angles to the length of 1^ inch : 

 the flower-bud is oval, 2 lines in length ; the petals are of a 

 greenish yellow colour, clothed inside with long white silky hairs, 

 which become brown in drying : the ovarium is in like manner 

 sericeous, so that the lower half of the style, and its basal lobes, 

 are concealed. As the name cordata may lead to mistake, there 

 being nothing in the form of its leaves or other parts approxi- 

 mating a heart-shape, I have dedicated the species to the author 

 of the genus ; — the somewhat truncated base of the kernel of the 

 fruit (probably an accidental occurrence) suggested the above 

 designation*. 



aIappia. 



This genus, described and figured in the ' Hortus Schoenbru- 

 nensis ' by Jacquin in 1797, appears to have escaped the notice 

 of all succeeding botanists. The plant upon which it was founded 

 was raised in the Imperial Botanic Garden, but the country from 

 which it was derived was then unknown. There can be no 

 doubt, however, that it is identical with the Icacina dubia of 

 M c Fadyen, and that it is a native of Jamaica. I have also to 

 add many other species from tropical Asia, and Madagascar, so 

 that the range of the genus is considerable. In its floral struc- 

 ture it is very near Icacina : it differs from Apodytes, Rhaphiostylis 

 and Leretia, in the absence of any glandular appendage or raised 

 teeth on the summit of the ovarium, and from both, as well as 

 from Icacina, in having a shorter, erect, and stronger style, and 

 a lobed hollow stigma, in its calyx being more entire, the anthers 

 more ovate and not so deeply cleft at base, and in its entirely 

 free hypogynous disc, smooth outside and generally very pilose 

 within : in the cristulate apex of the nut, it bears some analogy 

 with that of Pennantia. It differs also from Apodytes, Stemo- 

 nurus and Pennantia in its larger embryo, with large, oval, folia- 

 ceous cotyledons, that nearly equal the length of the albumen. 

 It is the Stemonurus of Dr. Wight, but differs essentially from 

 the Stemonurus of Blume. 



The Xot/iajjodytes of Blume agrees with this genus in every 

 essential feature. I cannot perceive any difference in the struc- 

 ture of the flowers between the Jamaica and Asiatic species, except 

 in the more glabrous habit of the former, their more lanceolate 

 leaves, and the perfect smoothness of the hypogynous disc, 



* This plant, with full generic details, will he shown in plate " of the 

 ' Contributions to Botany,' &c. 



Ann. t$ May. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. ix. 26 



