Mr. J. Miers un the Menispermaceae. 99 



species, bear drupes of the size and colour of grapes, enclosing 

 an osseous putamen, with three teeth at each extremity (whence 

 the generic name) ; in the structure of its seed it corresponds with 

 the rest of the Heteroclinea. Belonging to this genus, there is 

 a group of plants which I formerly referred to Chondodendron, 

 R. & P. (Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 2. vii. 44), in consequence of their 

 resemblance to Poppig's drawing of his Chondodendron convolvu- 

 laceum ; but when I met with the typical species of that genus, 

 collected by Pavon, I saw at once the error. Subsequently I was 

 able to identify the group alluded to with Odontocarya, from 

 specimens in flower and fruit from Panama : these arc all more 

 slender plants, with smaller leaves than in my typical species ; 

 but they all possess the same habit and a similar floral and 

 seminal structure. 



Odontocarya, nob. — Flores dioici. Meue. Sepala 9, quorum 

 3 cxteriora dimidio minora, angustiora, et bracteiformia, 6 in- 

 teriora majora, 2-serialia, aH}ualia, cuneato-oblonga, tenuiter 

 membranacca, nervosa, »stivationc valde imbricata. Petala6, 

 8ubax]ualia, sepalis op|)ORita et iis paulo minora, ovata, tenuiter 

 membranacea. Stamina 6, petalis opposita, iis sequilonga, imo 

 in columnam brevem coalita, supenic libera ; filamenta latius- 

 cula, complanata, tenuiter membranacca, apice rotundata, 

 antheras 8a>pe excedentia ; mUhera 2-Iob8e, iobia oblongis, 

 parallele sejunctis, filamento immcrsis, rima margioali dehis- 

 centibus. Ovaria rudiraentaria nulla. — Fetm. Sepala et petala 

 ut in masc. Stamina sterilia 6, forma marium, sed multo 

 minora, antheris etfoetis glanduheformibus terminata, circa 

 gynsecium stipitatum inserta. Ovaria 3,oblonga, extns gibbosa, 

 apice tenuiora, glabra; stylus nullus; stigma sessile, deltoideo- 

 acutum, subito dcflexum, radiato-incisum ; ovulum unicum, ex 

 angulo vcntrali appensum. Drupa ovataj, 3, vtl abortu soli- 

 taria), mucilagineo-carnosae : putamen osseum, ovatuui, sub- 

 compreasum, dorso convexum, tuberculis serialibus scabridis 

 rugulosum, apice imoque 3-dentatum, extus pilis papillosis 

 creberrimis tectum, I-loculare, intus lave, nisi ad ventrem 

 lineis paucis transvcrsalibus prominentibus notatum ; condylus 

 ad facieni ventralem, scutiformis, extus concavus, intra loculum 

 convexus. Semen loculo conforme, meniscoideum, e summo 

 condyli funiculo brevissimo appensum ; integumenta tenuis- 

 aima, facie ventrali raphe longitudinali signata : embryo fere 

 rectus, intra albumen copiosum carnosum fere 2-lamello8um 

 latere dorsali tenue, ventrali crassum, fissuris paucis transvcr- 

 salibus ruminatum, radicula supera, tereti, ad stylum spectante, 

 cotyledunibus ellipticis, membranaceo-foliodis, 5-nerviis, late- 

 raliter valde divaricatis, et in locellis sejunctis utrinque positis. 



7* 



