Mr. J. Miei's on the Menispermacese. 125 



Genera dubia, vel ab ordine exeludenda. 



Adeliopsis, Bth. & Hook. (Gen. PI. i. 436). In each of its three carpels 

 there are two superimposed ovules — a character quite foreign to Meni- 

 spermacecE, and more in conformity with Schizandracece. 



Spirospermum, Th. Although admitted in the new ' Genera Plantarum ' 

 (i. 39), the genus cannot belong to this order : if the mode of develop- 

 ment of the ovary in Menispermacece be as I have described it (of 

 which little doubt can be entertained), no embryo by any possibility 

 could ever become " cylindricus, longissimus, spiraliter convolutus." 

 This structure recalls to our memory the Sapindaceous genera Ophio- 

 caryum, Llagunoa, and Guindilla (Valenzuelia), the latter a dioecious or 

 polygamous plant from the Andes of Chile, having three distinct uni- 

 locular carpels, attached to a short slender gynobase, each containing an 

 exalbuminous seed with a spiral embryo. The ])osition of Spirospermum 

 will more probably be found in Sapindacece or Ochnacece. 



It may here be remarked that the Chondodendron of the new * Genera 

 Plantarum' (non R. & P.) is identical with my genus Odontocarya ; and 

 that my Botryopsis is the same as Chondodendron, R. & P., which name 

 claims the preference. Microlicia of the same work is synonymous with 

 my Pleogyne. Sarcopetalum of the same authors belongs to the tribe 

 Pachygonece. 



1. COSCINIUM. 



This genus was first proposed by Colebrook for a Ceylon 

 plant (the Veni-vel of the natives), the seed of which had been 

 figured by Gaertner as the Menispermum fenestratum (DeFruct. 

 i. 219, tab. 46. f. 5). Coleb rook's account of the typical plant 

 is very incomplete, as he had not seen either the male or the 

 female flowers, all his data being founded on a short memoran- 

 dum of Dr. lloxburgh. Gaertner represents the cotyledons of 

 the embryo as being pierced with holes, whence his specific 

 name of fenestratum ; but in this respect he was undoubtedly 

 mistaken : that excellent carpologist (perhaps from imperfect 

 specimens) quite misunderstood the whole seminal structui-e; 

 his drawing shows the radicle in the usual position, diametrically 

 contrary to the base of the seed, instead of being directed to a 

 point near it ; the cotyledons, though in different cells of the 

 albumen, are shown to be accumbently placed together, not 

 laterally divaricated, and to be pierced with holes, instead of 

 being deeply laciniated on their margins ; while the extremely 

 gibbous form of the drupe is not noticed. The drupe is oval, 

 and transverse in regard to its stipitate support, the remains of 

 the style being seen in one of its angles, at a point removed 30° 

 from the base ; but as the stipitate support stands at a right 

 angle with the axis of the pedicel, the longer diameter of the 

 fruit is parallel with that axis, so that the style, at the distance 

 mentioned, points towards it. The putamen is correspondingly 

 oval, somewhat flattened on the side of the stipitate support, 

 nearly opposite to which are seen two small collateral pervious 



