362 MR. J. MIERS ON THE HIPPOCRATEACEZ OF SOUTH AMERICA. 
imo subcuneatis et in petiolo breviter decurrentibus, apice sensim attenuatis, 
acumine vix obtusulo, marginibus tenuissime cartilagineis obsolete crenato-serratis, 
dentibus interdum mucronulatis, flaecidis, pallidissime viridibus, concoloribus, gla- 
berrimis, subnitidis, costa nervisque plurimis tenuissimis paulo divaricatis arcuatim 
nexis vix prominulis, crebre reticulatis, opacis, sub lente utrinque minutissime gra- 
nulato-punctulatis ; petiolo tenuissimo, supra profunde sulcato, subtus corrugulato, 
limbo 6-9-plo breviore: panieulis axillaribus, alterne furcatim divisis, folio dimidio 
vel bis triente brevioribus, glabris, ramis imo unibracteolatis, pedunculo ramisque 
tenuissimis, ultimis bifloris ; bracteolis parvis, acutis; floribus majusculis, tenuissime 
pedicellatis ; sepalis rotundatis, parvis, submembranaceis, acute denticulatis ; petalis 
4-plo longioribus, ovatis, imo angustioribus, pallidis, membranaceis, nervosis, pec- 
tinatim denticulatis, glaberrimis, rotatim expansis; disco tenuiter annulari, vix 
earnosulo, brevi, imo tenuiter expanso, subanguloso, subviridi: rachi fructifera 
tenuissima ; capsulis 3, imo longiuscule et firmiter connatis, subrotundis, planissime 
patulis, compressissimis, non carinatis, obsolete nervosis, a rachi subfiliformi pendulis, 
sepalis petalisque immutatis suffultis. In Venezuela: v. s. in herb. Hook., Tovar 
(Fendler, 1048, in flore; 197, in fructu). 
This species seems to have a scandent habit, with very patent branches, whose axils 
are 12 in. apart : the pale leaves, of thin flaccid texture, are 21-33 in. long, 13-18 lines 
broad, on a petiole 4—7 lines long. The panicle is about an inch long, the peduncle and 
alternate branches being extremely slender: the flower expanded is 3} lines in diameter. 
The axillary rachis which supports the fruit is extremely slender, about an inch in 
length; the capsules, peltately suspended from it, are each 14 in. long, 14 in. broad, and 
firmly united by their margins for nearly half their length ; and beneath them are seen 
the unchanged persistent sepals and petals. 
9. PRISTIMERA OBLONGATA, nob. : Hippocratea oblongata, Sol. MSS. ined. : ramulis oppo- 
sitis, teretibus, subnitidis, flavescentibus, patentissimis, junioribus angulato-sulcatis, 
levissimis, tenuibus: foliis elliptico-oblongis vel elongato-oblongis, patentibus, imo 
rotundatis vel obtusis, sursum sensim angustioribus, apice vix acutis, integris, 
flaccidis, supra pallide viridibus, nervis tenuibus arcuatim nexis, valde reticulatis, 
subtus pallidioribus, junioribus supra flavidulis, subtus pallidissimis, glauco-opacis ; 
petiolo tenui, levi, canaliculato, limbo 15-20-plo breviore: paniculis axillaribus, 
brevibus, glaberrimis, sub-9-floris, pedunculo ramulisque tenuissimis, pallidis, alter- 
natim furcatis, ramulis breviusculis 2-3-fMoris; bracteolis acutissimis, membranaceis ; 
floribus pedicellatis, pallide flavis, fragrantissimis; sepalis rotundatis, marginibus 
late membranaceis acute eroso-denticulatis; petalis 4-plo longioribus, obovatis, 
valde membranaceis, striato-nervosis, margine sinuato-denticulatis; disco tenuiter 
subpoculiformi, undulato, imo anguste expanso, sepalis dimidio breviore; stamini- 
bus disco 2-plo longioribus, antheris flavide submembranaceis, explanatim hiantibus. 
In Antillis: v. s. in herb. Mus. Brit., Jamaica, (R. Shakespear). 
The characters and floral structure of this plant are well described by Dr. Solander in 
his unpublished notes still preserved in the British Museum. The branches are slender, 
