386 W. H. Harvey on two New Species of Rhizantheae. 



Mystropetalon, Harv. MS. 



Gen. Char. — Flowers monoecious, in dense spikes, the 

 males forming the upper, the females the lower half of the 

 spike. Bractece 3 under each flower, one {anterior) generally 

 free, 2 {lateral) more or less combined. 



Male : Perianth tripartite, the segments spathulate, un- 

 guiculate, the two posterior combined. Stamens two, oppo- 

 site to, and inserted on the posterior segments of the perianth, 

 conniving, but not combined; anthers versatile, 2-celled, 

 opening longitudinally ; pollen cubical, with fluted angles !— 

 A very minute abortive ovary. 



Female : Perianth sub-globose or tubular, tridentate, su- 

 perior, deciduous. Torus ? fleshy, cup-like, expanded round 

 the base of the ovary, but attached to it only by a central 

 point, finally deciduous with the ovary, to which it remains 

 attached ! Ovary ellipsoidal, attenuated at the base, containing 

 a fleshy mass (without distinction of ovules? !). Fruit inde- 

 hiscent, ellipsoidal, with a very thin juicy pericarp, and crus- 

 taceous endocarp, containing an indefinite number of minute 

 sporules, into which the whole of the fleshy mass of the ovary 

 appears to be dissolved. 



Specific characters. 



1. Mystropetalon Thomii, Harv. MS. — Anterior bractese broadly ob- 

 long, (in anthesis,) one-third longer than the lateral. Limbs of 

 the segments of the male perianth lanceolate ; female perianth 

 sub-globose, obtusely tridentate (PI. XIX.). 

 Hab. " About Caledon Baths." Rev. Dr. Thorn, who pointed it 



out to Mr. Bowie in 1818. Same locality, Ecklon, 1831. Mr. Pole- 



mann, 1837. 



Stem thick and fleshy, closely covered with linear, obtuse, 

 smooth scales, the uppermost often bearded at or about the 

 apex, the lowermost sometimes elongated, and sometimes all 

 are so. Spike very dense, 3 — 4 inches long, obtuse. 



Males : Anterior bractea oblong, of nearly equal breadth 

 throughout, obtuse, bearded at the apex and along the promi- 

 nent keel, ciliated at the margins ; the beard and cilia long, 

 orange. Lateral bracteae combined at base, sometimes nearly 

 free, oblong, obtuse, membranous, sometimes ciliate along the 



