118 NEW GENERA OF PLANTS. [October. 



of two and sometimes three petals, never appearing to ex- 

 pand. Petals oval, concave^ closely incumbent over each 

 other, whitish, somewhat rosaceous and subdiaphanoiis 

 or membranaceous, closely covering the stamens. Sta- 

 tnina two, sometimes three, seated upon the base of the 

 petals; filaments incumbent on the germ, and about the 

 same length; anthers roundish, two-celled, colour some- 

 what rosaceous. Styles none. Stigmata two, or three, 

 like so many minute points, which are only visible through 

 a strong lens. Germ turbinate. Capsule naked, globu- 

 lar and depressed, subturbinate, umbilicate, membrana- 

 ceous, two or three valved, two or three celled; cells four 

 or five seeded; seeds attached to a small basilar and com- 

 mon receptacle, marked with excavated punctures; disse- 

 piments very thin, arising from the receptacle, and un- 

 connected with the valves. Seed cylindric, the whole 

 length of the capsule, obtuse at either extremity, the 

 base furnished with a minute funiculus, the point incur- 

 ved, longitudinally marked with about ten striae, and 

 traversed by rows of impressed punctures; episperm 

 brown and fragile. Perisperm none. Embryon erect? 

 flat; radicle cylindric, large, descendent. Cotyledoncs 

 two, small, subovate. 



Probably Peplis Americana of Mr. Pursh^ Flor. Am. 

 Septent. vol. i. p. 238? 



The flower never appears to open, and is with so 

 much difficulty developed, artificially, as to seem to most 

 observers destitute of stamens. Tliis plant possesses con- 

 siderable affinity with the Caryophylle^, but differs in the 

 insertion of the stamens; and more materially in the struc- 

 ture of the seed, which does not, also, altogether agree 

 with that of the Portulace^, its singular integument, how- 



