jin a Ass 
Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermaceze. 265 
lanceolato-oblongis, e basi 5-nervia, petiolo limbo breviore: 
racemus ¢ avillaris, valde hirsutus, petiolo longior ; flores in 
axillulis bracteolatis approximatis, sessiles, pro ordine majus- 
cult, glabri. 
The only species will be described in the third volume of the 
‘Contributions to Botany.’ 
Disciwphania lobata, Eichl. loc. cit. p. 169, tab. 36. fig. 1 ;—Coc- 
culus lobatus, Mart. Obs. MSS. n. 2803.—In Brasilia, 
prov. Amazonica, 
63. Quinio. 
This genus was proposed by Schlechtendal in the ‘Linnea’ for 
18538, for an Indian plant received from Hohenhacker, respecting 
which much doubt has existed; it was referred by the former 
botanist to the Menispermacee ; but, as its floral parts are penta- 
merous, it has been rejected from the order by most authorities. 
Notwithstanding this decision, I entertain no doubt that it is a 
truly Menispermaceous plant ; and, before explaining the reasons 
for this opinion, I will recapitulate its characters as recorded by 
Schlechtendal. It is entirely glabrous, its branches sulcately 
striated and black; its leaves alternate, transversely suborbi- 
cular, cordate at base, retuse and mucronated at the summit, 
5-nerved, the nerves branching externally, glaucous beneath, 
2 inches long, 24 inches broad, on a petiole 4 inches long, which 
is swollen at base and articulated upon the stem, almost palately 
geniculated with the limb at the junction of the nerves. It has 
a very elongated racemose panicle, with a black rachis 10 or 12 
inches long, with alternate spreading branches 24 inches long, 
bearing at their summit several branchlets, often so much ap- 
proximated as to appear almost umbelliform, each bearing from 
one to three flowers obsoletely pedicellated : the glabrous flower 
consists of five imbricated, obovate, concave sepals, which are 
maculated in interrupted longitudinal lines; it has five petals 
somewhat shorter and narrower than them, spathulately rhom- 
boid, with their lateral margins lobulated and inflexed; five 
stamens opposite to and somewhat longer than them, and affixed 
to their claws, bearing on their apex two minute effete anther- 
cells, slightly divaricated at base ; in the centre are three distinct 
ovaries, ovate, very gibbous, each containing a single ovule, and 
‘surmounted by a short style with a very thick dilated stigma. 
It will readily be seen that all these minutely detailed 
characters agree precisely with those of Diploclisia inclyta, 
except the number of sepals, petals, and stamens, which here 
are five, instead of six. It may be inferred, therefore, that 
Schlectendal, when drawing up his diagnosis, was misled by 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. xx. 
