Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermacese. 91 



a short distance within the reniforni cell, and which is hollow, 

 with a minute foramen opening externally on each side; each 

 face of the outer broad hippocrepiform ring is covered with 

 about seven rows of close, prominent, short tubercles. The 

 seed has a membranaceous integument that fills the cell, with a 

 broad chalaza near the condyle, to which it is attached : the 

 nucleus of the only seed I was able to examine was not fully 

 developed; it evidently contained albumen, as Dr. Mueller 

 affirms ; but the form of the embryo was not visible : from this 

 circumstance, coupled with the similarity in form of the con- 

 dyle and the shape of the cell, and the resemblance of the integu- 

 ment, to those in Legnephora and Tristichocalyx, I have placed 

 this genus in contiguity with them, all being of Australian ori- 

 gin. The details of the (^flower, which I have not seen, are 

 copied from the description of Dr. Mueller. 



Sarcopetalum, F. Mueller. — Flores dioici. Masc. Sepala 2-5, 

 parva, membranacea, biseriata, exteriora minora. Petala 3-5, 

 sepalis majora, insequalia, valde crassa et carnosa, subcuneata, 

 obovata, apice sub-2-loba vel scrobiformia. Stamina 3, mona- 

 delpha; filarnenta in columnam centralem alte coalita, apice 

 breviter furcata et antherifera ; anther ce bilobse, lobis ovalibus, 

 parallelim segregatis, vel imo divergentibus, dorso adnatis, 

 subextrorsis, sutura oblique longitudinali utrinque dehiscen- 

 tibus. — Foem. Sepala 4-6, parva, biseriata, exteriora paulo 

 minora, rhomboidea vel acute triangularia, plus minusve pro- 

 funde inciso-dentata, membranacea, delicatule reticulata, gla- 

 bra. Petala 4-6, sepalis longiora, forma scrobiculata raarium, 

 carnosa, glabra. Stamina sterilia eadem numero ac petala, iis op- 

 posita et dimidio breviora,linearia,imo latiora, apice glandulis 2 

 segregatis munita. Ovaria 3-6, gibboso-ovata, glabra, gynaecio 

 paulo elevato insita. Stylus teres, subito reilexus, apice in 

 stigmata 2 divaricata subulata profunde divisus. Drupa 3 

 (vel plurimse?), gibboso-ovatae, compressae, stylo fere basali 

 notatae, glabrae, longiuscule stipitatae, pulposae : putamen te- 

 nuiter testaceum, reniformi-orbiculatum, valde compressum, 

 utraque facie excavatione lata scutiformi impressum, ambitu 

 hippocrepiformi tuberculis crebriter scrobiculato-rugosum, 

 1-loculare; condylus internus, parvus, ad sinum paulo in- 

 trusus, vacuus, utrinque foramine minuto extus perforatus. 

 Semen loculum implens, reniformi-ovatum ; integumentum 

 membranaceum, lateraliter chalaza notatum, et hinc intra 

 condylum insinuatum : embryo (forma ignota) albumine in- 

 clusus. 



Frutex Atistralia orientalis, scandens ; folia petiolata, peltata, vel 

 obsolete peltata, deltoideo-ovata, imo cnrdntn, vel omnino 



7* 



