Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermacese. 323 



the pedicel as many cicatrices, in six alternate series, at the 

 spots from which they had fallen ; but we find no such indica- 

 tions ; the turbinated, thickened apex of the pedicel, forming a 

 broad torus, is covered with hairs externally, and on its sharp 

 margin we see only interrupted spaces, the cicatrices of the 

 three larger sepals, and the spots where the three small bractei- 

 form sepals have been fixed : had there been twelve other sepals 

 exterior to these, the points of their attachment ought to be 

 visible. Additional evidence is afforded by the circumstance 

 that I found in one of the withered flowers examined a triangular 

 sepal pilose outside, and another extremely minute and less than 

 half its size ; so that I conclude the calyx must really consist 

 of six sepals in two alternate series, the outer one of which was 

 either not noticed by Cunningham or considered by him to consist 

 of minute bracts. Among the hairs of the gynsecium, between 

 two of the ovaries, I found a process very like a sterile stamen ; 

 it was slender, glabrous, with two separated glands on its apex. 

 We may also notice the fact mentioned by Mr. Bentham, that in 

 Microclisia he found only three carpels, while in Cunningham's 

 plant we perceive constantly six or more ; he also adds that, in 

 his genus, the thick fleshy cotyledons are nearly conferrumi- 

 nated, and the radicle is scarcely distinguishable. I did not 

 find this to be the case in Pleogynef where the cotyledons are 

 quite distinct, flat, subfoliaceous, and the conical radicle is well 

 developed. 



In the view of these facts, I have regarded Microclisia as 

 distinct from Pleoyyne — a conclusion strengthened by the great 

 difference in the geographical distribution of the plants, which 

 are found at two opposite sides of the Australian continent. 



Pleogyne, nob. — Flores dioici. Masc. ignoti. — Foem. Sepala 6 

 in ordine ternario alternatim disposita, triangularia, acuta, 

 extus valde pilosa, exteriora minutissima, interiora duplo ma- 

 jora. Petaia invisa aut nulla. Stamina ste?'ilia 6, minuta. 

 Ovaria^ (vel interdum 7), gibboso-ovata, lateribus valde 

 compressa, in stylum oblique attenuata, sericeo pilosa, gynae- 

 cio piloso crebriter insita, 1-locularia, ovulo solitario, angulo 

 interno appenso. Stj/li totidem, simplices, longiusculi, subu- 

 lati, glabri, acuti, subdeflexi, dein curvatim adscendentes et in 

 centrum conniventes. Drupce 6 vel abortu pauciorse, gibboso- 

 ovatse, subcompressse, pilosse, styli vestigio pedicello proximo 

 notatse; putamen (vix maturum) reniformi-ovatum, valde 

 compressum, 1-loculare; condylus internus, sinum versus in- 

 trusus, parvus, subglobosus. Semen loculum implens, luna- 

 tum ; integumentum membranaceum, condylo aflixum : em- 

 bryo exalbuminosus, cotyledonibus amplis, valde compressis, 



24* 



