32 Mr. J. Miers on some yenera of the Icacinaceae. 



shape, but of a different colour from the lower and central por- 

 tions, where the ovuligerous cell is seen, whenever discernible : 

 this glandular appendage is sometimes in a small degree conical 

 towards the centre, but more generally deeply umbilicate, and in 

 the middle of this depression is seen a conspicuous prominence 

 consisting of the real style and stigma : this is in the form of a 

 veiy short hollow tube, crowned by four or five very minute 

 teeth, corresponding in number to the lobes of the ovarium. 

 On the growth of the pistil, in the manner before described, the 

 gland just mentioned also expands, assuming the form of a large 

 pulvinate disk, more or less lobed, which often exceeds in diameter, 

 and therefore overhangs the summit of the ovarium, while the 

 style and stigma become withered into a small central umbilicated 

 depression. This early stage of the ovarium is tolerably well 

 depicted in plate 953. fig. 5. of Dr. Wight^s 'Icones,' while its 

 subsequent clavated appearance is shown in plate 954. fig. 6. of 

 the same work. I have frequently quoted instances of the ex- 

 istence of a similar epigynous gland upon the summit of an 

 inferior ovarium, but 1 know of no instance in which it forms so 

 prominent a mark as in this case. 



At one time {huj. op. ix. p. 224) it appeared to me desirable to 

 unite the Phlebocalymna of Griffiths, as well as the Platea of Blume, 

 with Stemonurus, which differ in no respect from the last-named 

 genus, except in the absence of the villous fringe that forms such 

 a remarkable crest overhanging the anthers : from Dr. Wight's 

 ' Icones ' I was at first led to believe that this was only a sexual dif- 

 ference, but careful observation does not confirm this conclusion. 

 I find it a constant character in particular species, and on this 

 account it will probably be better to keep Stemonwus distinct ; 

 but in this case Phlebocalymna and Platea will merge into another 

 separate genus, the preference being given to the latter name 

 on account of its priority : the differences which are observable 

 between them will be discussed when we come to consider that 

 genus. I propose to unite with them a species which I had placed 

 in Stemonurus, under the name oi S. laxiflorus (Cuming, no. 189, 

 from the Philippine Islands), and also Dr. Wight's variety of 

 S. polymorpha, figured in plate 953 of his ' Icones.' 



The structure of the putamen bears much analogy to that of 

 Pennantia : it is covered with a very small quantity of pulp, and 

 is strongly ribbed by several longitudinal irregular lines : it is 

 more coriaceous than osseous, and is of an oblong form, somewhat 

 flatter upon the ventral face, on which side, a little below the 

 summit, is seen a caruncular prominence, beneath which is a 

 foramen communicating with the interior of the cell. On the 

 same side near the base is another foramen ; this however does 

 not penetrate into the cell, but it pierces the substance of the 



