MR. J. MIERS ON THE HIPPOCRATEACEX OF SOUTH AMERICA. 367 
longitudine staminum ; stigma minimum, capitato-trilobum. Capsule 3, maxime, cuneatim oblongæ 
vel obovate, transversim compresse, subdivaricatæ, leviter striato-nervosæ, medio carinatz, 1-locu- 
lares, 2-valves, per carinam dehiscentes, valvis navieularibus. Semina in quaque capsula 2-4, ovata, 
edulia, aut amara, nuciformia, dorso anguste carinata, carina in stipitem brevem erectum imo affixum 
producta, semen suffulciente : énfegumentum externum in viventibus album, crassum, molliuscule 
carnosum (an demum pulposum?), in siccis durum, nigrum: embryo exalbuminosus, ovatus, cotyle- 
donibus 2, crassissimis, carnosis, radicula brevissima, minima, infera. 
Arbores in America calidiore et in Antillis vigentes, trunco crasso, erecto, ramosissimi ; rami adscendentes 
et altissime scandentes; ramuli viminei, penduli, leves : folia opposita, oblonga, integra, glaberrima, 
plerumque majuscula, breviter petiolata : paniculee axillares, creberrime ramosissime, ramis capillaribus, 
elongatis, dichotome multidivisis, glabris, pedicellis longis, unifloris : flores minimi, plerumque abortivi. 
1. HYLENJEA COMOSA, nob.: Hippocratea comosa, Sw. Fl. Occid. i. 77; DC. Prodr. i. 
568; Griseb. Fl. Br. W. Ind. 148: ramosissima, ramis scandentibus, ramulis pen- 
dulis, divarieatis, subangulatis, rugosis, rubescentibus: foliis ovali-oblongis, imo 
rotundatis et brevissime cordatis, apice breviter et obtusule attenuatis, integris, 
margine cartilagineo subrevoluto, rigidiusculis, supra pallide viridibus, nitentibus, 
nervis tenuibus utrinque 11 arcuatim prope marginem nexis, valde divaricatis, cum 
aliis tantis brevioribus alternantibus, creberrime reticulatis, subtus glauco-palles- 
centibus, nervis stramineis prominulis, minute granuloso-punctulatis ; petiolo sub- 
canaliculato, ruguloso, flavide rubiginoso, limbo 12-15-plo breviore: paniculis 
corymbosis, in axillis oppositis geminis, folio paulo brevioribus, paulo supra basin 
creberrime ramosis, ramis compressis, flavide opacis, minute verruculosis, glabris, 
iterum iterumque alternatim divisis, ramulis elongatis, mox numerosissimis, capilla- 
ribus, intricatim assurgentibus, ultimis pedicellum longum tenuissimum uniflorem 
gerentibus ; floribus innumeris, minutis, albidis, plerisque abortivis; bracteolis 
parvis, acutis, adpressis; sepalis acutis, extus rugulosis; petalis ovatis, membrana- 
ceis, parallele nervosis, marginibus erosulis, glabris ; disco brevissime tubuloso, albi- 
dulo ; ovario depresso, subtrigono, disco occluso, mox 3-lobato ; stylo brevi; stigmate 
minimo, capitato-trilobo : capsulis 3, distinctis, maximis, late obovato-oblongis, apice 
rotundatis, subeompressis,.coriaceis, striato-nervosis, singulis 4-spermis; seminibus 
nuciformibus, carina stipitiformi anguste alata in fundo loculi affixis.—In Antillis : 
v. s. in herb. Mus. Brit., San Domingo (Swartz, in flore). 
In this typical specimen the ultimate branchlets are about 14 line in thickness, with 
axils 1-2 in. apart; the leaves are 4-5 in. long, 23-23 in. broad, on a petiole 4 lines 
long ; the panicles are 3-33 in. long, the peduncle and primary branches }—} in. long, the 
rest gradually subdivided into an intrieate maze of capillary threads, among which are 
seen the alternate pedicels, 1 or 2 lines long, supporting a single minute flower. The 
flower expanded is less than a line, and in bud only half a line, in diameter. The cap- 
sules, according to Swartz, are 2-3 in. long, obovate (and therefore probably 15-2 in. 
broad), each containing four nuciform seeds, covered by a white arillzeform coating, which 
hardens in drying (as in Clercia); these are of a sweetish taste, and are eaten by the 
natives. 
3 D 2 
