Mr. J. Miers on some genera of the lcacinace{3e. 177 



vation. Emmotam offers also another peculiarity in its ovarium 

 with three radiate cells, placed excentrically on the somewhat 

 gibbous and anterior side of the ovarium. These points of struc- 

 ture are so different from the development met with in other 

 genera of the Icacinacece, as naturally to lead to the suspicion 

 that Emmotum may not belong to this family; but we must 

 remember that in other respects it accords, viz, in its exstipulate 

 alternate leaves, small flowers with a persistent unchanged calyx, 

 petals with valvate aestivation, alternate stamens, simple style, 

 and suspended collateral ovules. I have therefore retained the 

 genus doubtfully, as a separate tribe of the Icacinacece {ante, S. 2. 

 vol. ix. p. 223), until its true place in the system can be 

 ascertained, which will be determined by a knowledge of the 

 structure of the fruit and seed and the form and position of 

 its embryo. The name, I presume, has been derived from 

 ev and yu.0T09, linteum, on account of the densely intertwined 

 hairs that line the petals, a character that also suggested the 

 name of Pogopetalum. These hairs, when examined under the 

 microscope, appear flattened an(f covered with numerous promi- 

 nent transparent glandular dots as in Leretia. The following is 

 an outline of its generic features : — 



Emmotum, Desv. Pogopetalum, Benth. — Flores perfecti. Calyx 

 brevissimus, 5- rarius 4-dentatus, liber, fructifer immutatus. 

 Petala 5, rarius 4, lineari-oblonga, carnosula, intus ad cari- 

 nam longitudinalem pilis rufis ssepius longis et crispatis den- 

 sissime barbata, sestivatione valvata, mucrone apicali introflexo. 

 Stamina 5 vel 4, petalis alterna, iis vix breviora, omnino libera ; 

 jilamenta carnosula dilatata, incurva, apice repente acuta ; an- 

 theriB 2-loculares, connectivo crasso, interdum loeulis utrinque 

 sejunctis breviores, vcl saspe in mucronem subulatum incur- 

 vulum ultra loculos subantrorsim positos producto, imo cor- 

 dato affixre, loeulis membranaceis, cymbseformibus, evalvibus, 

 margine posteriori a connectivo omnino soluto hinc extrorsim 

 dehiscentibus. Pollen ovale, longitudinaliter sulcatum. Ova- 

 rium liberum, oblongum, subgibbum, pilosum, disco hypogyno 

 parvo sistens, 3-loculare, loeulis excentrice radiantibus .; ovula 

 in quoque loculo 2, juxta apicem appensa et subcollatcraliter 

 superposita. Stylus excentricus, erectus, teres. Stigma e den- 

 tibus 3 brevissimis erectis minutum. Drujm globosa, abortu 

 1-locularis; csetera ignota. — Frutices Guianenses et Brasi- 

 lienses scmpervirentes ; folia alterna, exstipulata, coriacea, in- 

 tegra, nitida, sublux tomentosa ; cymse fasciculate, axillares, 

 rnultiflora ; fiores parvi, aggregati, cum pedicellis brevissimis 

 articulati, bracteati. 



Ann. ^ Mag. K Hist. Scr. 2. VoI^l. 12 



