100 , MR. JOHN MIERS ON VERBENACEÆ FROM 
A singular species, but the specimen wants flowers and fruit. The axils are 3-1 inch 
apart; the spines are 1-23 lines long; the leaves are $-14 inch long, -3 inch broad, 
patent, upon a petiole 1-14 line long. 
2. PHELLODERMA. 
I have proposed this genus, having for its type the Priva levis, Juss., Castelia cuneato- 
ovata, Cav., which, though often described, has never been correctly investigated. This 
plant was collected by me in 1825, and then carefully examined. It is described by Gay, 
first as Priva levis (Fl. Chil. v. 7), and a second time under the name of Bouchea Copia- 
pensis (l. c. p. 26, where it is figured in pl. 55), from which it is evident that he was not 
aware of their identity. M. Bocquillon has followed the same mistake, no doubt upon 
Gay's authority. It differs from Priva :—in its calyx, which does not become globosely 
expanded in fruit; in the distinetly bilabiated border of the corolla; in the form of the 
anthers; in the presence of a fifth sterile stamen ; in the shape of the stigma; in its 
oval, apiculated, smooth, drupaceous fruit; in its nucules not separating spontaneously 
at maturity, in consequence of the somewhat suberose mesocarp which firmly holds them 
together; in the antical and postical position of the nucules; in the copious pithy ring 
which surrounds them; in the nucules being osseous (not testaceous), deeply furrowed 
at the back (not armed with long curved spines); and in having a distinct, though thin, 
albumen in the seeds. From Bouchea it differs in having the longer tooth of the calyx 
posterior (not anterior), in having a fifth sterile stamen, in the oval (not linear) form of the 
nuts, which are osseous, dorsally and deeply furrowed (not smooth and thinly testaceous), 
in not separating spontaneously, in being surrounded by a large pointed pith-like ring of 
double their length, by the presence of albumen in the seeds, and, finally, by the nucules - 
being 2-celled, not unilocular. 
The chief peculiarity of this genus consists in the remarkable structure of the fruit, 
which no one appears to have seen, except Cavanilles, who merely describes it as con- 
taining two bilocular nuts. As sufficient has been stated to show its differential features, 
I will proceed to give its generic characters: its proposed name is derived from peldoc 
(suber), Sépua (vestis), from the suberous covering in which the nuts are imbedded. 
PHELLODERMA, nob.: Priva, Juss.: Bouchea, Gay. Calyx cylindricus, 5-gone striatus, 
inæqualiter 5-dentatus, dentibus lineari-aeuminatis, erectis, posteriore breviore. 
Corolla tubulosa, tubo eylindrico, calyce dimidio longiore, curvato, antice paulo 
inflato, fauce obliqua, limbo subbilabiato, 5-lobo, lobis ovatis, inzequalibus, 2 poste- 
rioribus brevioribus et erectioribus, lobo antico longiore et latiore, 2 intermediisque 
subreflexis, his paulo minoribus, marginibus undulatis. Stamina 4, didynama, cum 
5° ananthero inter breviora paulo inferiore; filamenta brevia, tenuia, pilosula, 
antheris paulo longiora, 2 superiora antica, sub faucem inserta, 2 inferiora postica, 
ad medium tubi inserta; anthere oblongæ, 2-lobæ, ad medium sagittatæ, lateraliter 
RIEN connectivo tenui ad sinum affixæ, rima longitudinali utrinque introrsum | 
e uscentes, superiores faucem attingentes : pollen globosum, reticulatum. Ovarium — a 
conico-oblongum, disco glanduloso insitum, 4-loculare, cum dissepimento ad axın — — 
