Mr. J. Miers on some genera of the Icacinacese. 399 



Desmostachys, gen. nov. — Flores perfecti. Calyx minimus, 

 brevissime cupulatus, 5-dentatus, ciliatus, persistens. Petala 

 5, sequalia, hypogyna, lineari-oblonga, membranaeea, extus 

 pilosa, seslivatione valvata, apice inflexa, sub anthesi patentia. 

 Stamina 5, longitudiDe petalorum et iis alterna; filamenta 

 tenuiter linearia, membranaeea, apice attenuata, disco inter 

 lobos alternatim extus inserta ; anthera oblongae, 2-lobse, 

 4-locellatje, imo breviter 2-fidse, dorso medio affixse, lobis 

 membranaceis, singulatim 2-locellatis, demum septicidis et 

 longitudinaliter evolutim dehiscentibus. Ovarium liberum, 

 ovatum, villosum, disco cupuliformi obtuse 5-lobato sufTultum, 

 1-loculare; ovula 2, juxta apicem loculi superposita, podo- 

 spermio crasso subcollateraliter suspensa, anatropa. Stylus 

 erectus, gracilis, glaber, pellucido-punctatus. Stigma obsolete 

 lobatum. Fructus ignotus. — Frutex scandensMadagascariensis; 

 folia alterna, ovata, coriacea, glaberrima, petiolata ; racemi 

 plurimi, axillares. spicati, gracillimi, paucifiori, folio subbre- 

 viores, floribus minimis, sessilibus, bracteatis. 



] . Desmostachys Planchonianus, n. sp. ; — scandens, ramulis tere- 

 tibus, lrevibus; foliis cuneato-ovatis vel lanceolato-oblongis, 

 apice brevissime et repente attenuatis, crasso-coriaceis, utrinque 

 lucidis et glaberrimis, supra laete viridibus, subtus pallidis, 

 nervis venisque valde reticulatis prominentibus, margine revo- 

 lutis, petiolo brevi, brunneo, rugoso, inflexo, canaliculato ; 

 racemis in axillis 5-8-fasciculatis, spicatis, gracillimis, pubes- 

 centibus, folio brevioribus, floribus minutis, alternatim sessili- 

 bus, petalis virescenti-flavidis. — Madagascar ; v. s. in herb. 

 Lindley (Forbes), in herb. Hook. (Lyall). 



Among the several specimens I have seen of this plant, some 

 have their leaves quite ovate, others nearly lanceolate, but as 

 their shape varies in the same plant, they must all be considered 

 as one species. It is described as climbing upon other trees, in 

 the Province of Be-Zemcharak : the leaves are thin and coria- 

 ceous, shining, very reticulated, of a very light green colour 

 above, from 2| to 4 inches long, and from 1^ to 1± inch broad, 

 upon a thin incurved petiole, with a dark brown corrugated sur- 

 face : from 4 to 8 slender spikes grow out of each of the upper 

 axils, measuring 1 inch to 1^ inch in length; the flowers are 

 alternately arranged, are quite sessile upon the slender pubes- 

 cent peduncle, and are 1 line long, with a minute pubescent 

 bract at the base of each*. 



* A drawing of this species with figures of its floral analysis, will be 

 given in plate 9 of the ' Contributions to Botany.' &c. 



