Mr. J. Miers on the Tribe Colletiez. 7 
squamosis, acutis, fusco-rubris, sericeis, ciliatis, linea trans- 
versali connexis; floribus 4—6, vel plurimis, in singulam 
gemmam conglomeratis, pedunculo calycis longitudine, to- 
mentoso, tubo calycino turbinato, extus pubescente, intus 
presertim infra stamina piloso, limbi laciniis 5, acutis, reflexis, 
tubo brevioribus; petalis 5, niveis; staminibus reconditis ; 
ovario piloso; fructu calyce marcido incluso et eo paulo lon- 
giore, stylo piloso, acuminato.—Chile, in Prov. centralibus.— 
v. v. prope Limache, Concon, Quillota, et aliis locis.—~. s. 
in herb. Mus. Paris. (Gay); in herb. Hook. (Cuming, 718 ; 
Bridges, 433) ; zbid. (Banda oriental.?, Tweedie). Vernac. 
Talguén. 
The trunk of the Talguén, on account of its hardness, is use- 
ful for turning-purposes ; but it is mostly employed im Chile as 
fuel in the mining localities, for which it is admirably adapted, 
and is much sought for about the copper-works of Quillota, 
Illapel, and Petorca. In some places the trunk grows to a 
considerable size, and is preferred, on account of its indestructi- 
bility when sunk in the ground, for the construction of the cot- 
ges and ranchos of the country. Its spines are spreading, 
4 inch long, their acute tips being reddish; the leaves are 6-9 
lines long, 2-3 lines broad, on very short reflected petioles ; the 
peduncles are nearly 2 lines long; the tube of the calyx is of 
the same length, and the lobes of its border are 1 line long. 
The carcerule is a thin indehiscent chartaceous shell, 24 lines 
long, 2 lines in diameter, enclosed by the free and somewhat 
extended calyx, and is surmounted by the hirsute persistent 
style, which is equal to it in length: it is rarely 2-locular, ge- 
nerally by abortion only 1-celled, in which case the axis with 
the abortive cells form a prominent ridge that runs down one 
side of the shell, and leaves a corresponding impression on the 
enclosed seed. The seed is polished, of a dull brown colour, 
* oval, and somewhat compressed*. 
In Sir Wm. Hooker’s herbarium I find a specimen, as above 
mentioned, stated to have been found in the woods of the Uru- 
guay, with a ticket in Tweedie’s handwriting; but I suspect 
that the ticket belongs to another specimen, which by mistake 
has been changed, and that the plant came originally from Chile, 
for I perceive no difference whatever between that specimen and 
others collected in the latter country. It can hardly be imagined 
that the same species of a genus so peculiarly Chilean should 
be found at a distance of 1500 miles, in a different soil and 
climate, with the lofty Cordillera of the Andes intervening, 
* A drawing of this with analytical details, will be given in the 
* Contributions,’ Plate 4] s. 
