MELA STOMA CE^. 



21 



Meriania [Davya) Clausse/tiL 



to a sort of wing at the two extremities ; Axincea, the receptacle of 

 which is often shorter and wider, but the organization of the rest of 

 the flow^er is the same, with a thicker dorsal prolongation of the 

 connective, enlarged at the base, and seeds similar to those of 

 .Meriania proper. 



Huheria, Brazilian shrubs, has a la- 

 geniform receptacle, with the flower of 

 Meriania, but tetramerous ; stamens 

 with dorsal appendage less developed, 

 and flowers in cymes. The seeds are 

 winged, whilst they are said to be pyra- 

 midal and without wings in Opisthocentra, 

 which has tetramerous flowers, in cymes, 

 stamens with posterior spur, like those 

 of Huheria, and constitute, therefore, 

 only a section of it. 



Behuria, glabrous shrubs of Brazil, 

 has the stamens of Huheria, to the 

 number of 10 to 12 ; but the flowers, 

 surrounded by two large foliaceous 



bracts, have equally large fohaceous serrulate sepals, and five or six 

 relatively little developed petals.^ 



In Centronia and Graffenriedea, the calyx ordinarily forms a cover 

 which detaches itself circularly at the base or separates irregularly. 

 The former has large flowers in clusters of cymes, with the stamens 

 of Meriania, an ovary of 3-8 cells and carpels often bifid at the top, 

 which is prominent. The latter has numerous small flowers (resem- 

 bling those of some Lijthrariacece) in very ramified clusters ; it has . 

 eight, ten, twelve, or even a greater number of stamens, equally 

 analogous to those of Meriania, and a 2-5-celled ovary. Calijptrella, 

 sectionally belonging to it, has the connective somewhat prolonged 

 below the anther. All these plants are from tropical America, and 

 have seeds elongate-pyramidal or nearly so. 



Fior. 29. Flower. 



' We doubtfully place near Behun'a, Urodes- 

 mium, generally referred to the small group of 

 Rhexiece, which appear to us organized nearly 

 like Huboia ; Acanthella, an exceptional type, 



from the shores of Orinoco, having tetramerous 

 flowers, with a gynsecium supported by a short 

 foot, and flattened seeds surrounded by a circular 

 wing. 



