lAnnaan Society. 13 3f 



all the evidence yet known respecting the order of Burmanniacea. 

 Of the genus Dictyostega he describes three species, which he found 

 in Brazil, to which is to be added a fourth species, discovered by 

 Mr. Schomburgk in British Guiana. 

 The following are their characters : — 



DICTYOSTEGA. 

 Perianthium tubulosum, ovario adnatum, supem^ libenim : Umbo G-fido, 

 laciniis 3 alternis minoribus. Stamina 3 : Jilamentis brcvissimis : an- 

 thercB loculis disjunctis, transversim debiscentibus. Stylus simplex. 

 Stigmata 3. Capsula 1-locularis, sub 3-valvi8, polysperma, apice dehi- 

 scens : valvis medio placentiferis. Semina minuta, scobiformia, test& 

 laxa, reticulata, pertranslucidll, nucleo quintuple longiore vestita. 

 Plantae (brasilienses) rkizocarpeee, radice fibrosa, squamis membranaceis, 

 imbricatis, ciliatis, incanis tectd. Caulis erectus, subfiexuosus, pallide 

 purpurascens, subsolitarius, rarius ramiferus, et tunc ramis 1 — 3 

 erectis, alternis, trunco consimilibus. Folia bracteiformia, subsessilia, 

 adpressa. Inflorescentia terminalis, dichotome racemosa, vel subum- 

 bellato-cymosa, fioribus purpurascentibus, pedicellatis. 



1. D. orobatichioides, caule erecto simplici vel ramifero, racemis geminis, 

 floribus nutantibus unibracteatis, bracteis cum pedicellis alternantibus, 

 capsula snbvalvata ecostata longitudinaliter dehiscente.— Monte Corco- 

 vado, Rio de Janeiro. 



2. D. umbellaia, caule erecto simplicissimo, foliis erecto-patulis, umbellsl 

 simplici 6 — 9-flord, floribus erectis, pedicellis basi bracteatis, ovario 

 ecostato. — Serra dos Orgaos, Prov. Rio de Janeiro. 



3. D. costata, caule erecto simplici, floribus erectis, cym& bibracteatS, pe- 

 dicellis ebracteatis, capsulS evalvi 6-costat& apice dehiscent!. — Rio de 

 Janeiro. 



4. D. Schomburgkii, caule erecto subsimplici, racemis geminis paucifloris, 

 floribus unibracteatis, bracteis pedicello oppositis, periantbio medio 

 baud constricto, laciniis obtusioribus, capsule 6-costat& apice dehiscenti. 



— Guiana. 



CYMBOCARPA. 



Perianthium txibulosum, ovario adnatum, supernfe liberum : Umbo 6-fido, 

 laciniis tribus alternis minoribus. Stamina omnino Dictyostegce. 

 Stylus simplex. Stigmata 3-loba, lobis gibboso-rotundatis, cornubus 2 

 subulatis erectis instructis. Ovarium gibboso-3-gonum, 1-loculare, 

 placentis 3 parietalibus. Capsula 1-locularis, latere unico angulo su- 

 periore tant^m dehiscens. Semina scobiformia, numerosissima, testA 

 reticulata nucleo vix excedente. 



Plantae (brasilienses) rkizocarpece, radice fibrosa. Caulis simplex, sub- 

 fiexuosus, erectus, albescens. Folia sessilia, bracteiformia, erecta, aut 

 adpressa. Inflorescentia dichotome spicata, paucifiora, fioribus fia- 

 vescenti-albidis, basi bracteatis, cum pedicellis brcvissimis summo abrupti 

 declinatis geniculatis. 



1 . Cymbocar2)a refracta. — Monte Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro. 



