340 MR. J. MIERS ON THE HIPPOCRATEACEZ OF SOUTH AMERICA. 
Beechey's Voyage, in no degree corresponds with Kunth's description, and belongs to a 
very different genus. 
9. HIPPOCRATEA EXCELSA, H., B., K. v. 139; DC. Prodr. i. 569; Benth. Bot. Sulph. p. 78: 
arbor maxime procera, ramulis teretibus, leevibus, cortice rimoso et fusco-cinerascente, 
junioribus 4-gonis, viridibus, glabris: foliis elliptico-oblongis, imo acutis, apice 
obtuse acuminatis, obsolete et grosse crenato-serrulatis, subeoriaceis, glabris, supra 
fusco-viridibus, minute albido-granulatis, crebre reticulatis, subtus flavide pallidis, 
opacis, nervis tenuibus arcuatis venisque transversis reticulatis prominulis; petiolo 
tenui, canaliculato, corrugato-striolato, limbo 8-9-plo breviore; stipulis minimis, 
lanceolato-ovatis, glabris, caducis: paniculis axillaribus et terminalibus, subpaten- 
tibus, valde dichotome ramosis, ramis divaricatis, cum ramulo altero paulo breviore 
in dichotomiis, ramis fusco-rufis, angulato-striatis, rufo-tomentosis ; floribus in ramis 
ultimis subcongestis, majusculis; braeteolis cuspidato-ovatis, tomentellis; petalis 
oblongis, utrinque rufo-tomentosis, intus barbatis, expansis; disco alte conico, 
tomentello, apice rufo-tomentoso; filamentis latis, tomentellis; ovario jam aucto 
3-lobato, glabro, lobis exsertis, transversim obcordatis, erectiuseulis, filis spiralibus 
repletis. In Mexico, inter Acapulco et Mazatlan (Bonpland): v.s. in herb. Hook., 
Veraguas (Hinds). 
This plant, as Mr. Bentham remarks, corresponds with Kunth's description in all 
respects except in the number of the stamens, which the latter imagined to be four or 
five, instead of the usual number three ; this probably arose from mistaking some of the 
lobes of the ovary for filaments : in Hinds’s plant they are, as usual, only three. It is said 
to be a very lofty tree: the axils of its slender branchlets are 2-11 in. apart; the leaves are 
34-32 in. long, 15-15 in. broad, on a very slender petiole 45-5 lines long: in Bonpland’s 
specimens, according to Kunth, they are smaller, 15-23 in. long, 1 in. broad. The pe- 
duncle is 10 lines long, the two primary branches 5 lines, the intermediate one 21 lines 
long; the secondary branches are 2 lines, the remainder gradually very short, with the 
flowers closely approximated at the extremities, and covered with dark red tomentum: 
each flower expanded is 3 lines in diameter; the sepals are roundish; the petals three or 
four times their length, subfleshy, barbated within; the disk is large, conical, greyish 
papillose in the lower part, rufo-tomentose at top; filaments broad, shorter than the 
disk, rufo-tomentous, reflected, with yellow anthers; ovary 3-lobed, 3-celled (not 4-5- 
celled as stated by Kunth). 
10. HIPPOCRATEA DISCOLOR, Mey. (non Seem.), Esseq. p.19; DC. Prodr. i. 568: 
scandens, ramulis sub-4-gonis, patentim divaricatis, minutissime granulato-rugulosis, 
substriatis, leviter ferrugineo-tomentosis : foliis ovato-ellipticis, imo obtusis aut sub- 
acutis, apice in acumen breve obtusulum repente attenuatis et subnavicularibus, mar- 
ginibus revolutis remote crenato-serratis, supra nitidis, profunde viridibus, subru- 
gulosis, nervis arcuatim nexis, transversim valde reticulatis, subtus rufescentibus, 
opacis, eosta nervis rubidulis venisque paulo prominulis; petiolo tenui, canaliculato, 
minute granuloso, limbo 16-18-plo breviore; stipulis minutis, subulatis, deciduis : 
