MR. J. MIERS ON THE HIPPOCRATEACEZ OF SOUTH AMERICA. 408 
1. PERITASSA DULCIS, nob.: Salacia dulcis, Benth. in Hook. Kew Journ. iv. 9; Walpers, 
Ann. iv. 369: arbuscula, ramulis tenuibus, rubescentibus, angulato-striatis, lenti- 
cellis albidis bilobis verruculosis ; axillis oppositis, dilatatis : foliis lanceolato-oblongis, 
imo cuneatim acutis, apice sensim angustatis, et in acumen longiusculum sspe sub- 
lineare obtusulum attenuatis, obtuse subserratis, marginibus subrevolutis, supra pal- 
lide glauco-viridibus, valde opacis, sub lente creberrime punctulatis et pilis brevissimis 
adpressis subtomentellis, ad nervos tenuissimos arcuatos immersos sulcatulis, subtus 
pallide ferrugineis, opacis, subgranulosis et sub lente punctulis crystallinis minutis 
creberrime scabridulis, costa nervisque prominulis, eveniis; petiolo fusco, canali- 
culato, corrugato-striato, limbo 12-15-plo breviore: paniculis axillaribus, petiolo 
paulo longioribus, subgeminis, e gemma bracteolata enatis, breviter pedunculatis, 
repetitim dichotome divisis, ramis brevibus, angulatis, opposite divaricatis, imo bibrac- 
teolatis, rufo-pilosulis ; bracteolis acutis, parvis, rufo-ciliolatis; floribus parvis, fere 
sessilibus, et in ramulis ultimis subaggregatis; sepalis rotundatis, erassis, fuscis, 
margine rufo-denticulatis; petalis duplo longioribus, oblongis, imo sensim angus- 
tioribus, carnosulis, luteis, margine membranaceo sinuato-denticulatis ; disco breviter 
tubuloso, margine erecto, tenui, erosule crenulato, albido; staminibus disco duplo 
longioribus; antheræ didymæ lobis suborbiculatis parallele adnatis, extrorsis, con- 
nectivo crasso nigro excurrente longe apiculatis: drupa sicca, depresse globosa, 
obsolete 6-sulcata, pericarpio tenui, ruguloso; seminibus 6, forsan in pulpa mucila- 
ginosa nidulantibus. In Brasilia: v. s. in herb. meo et alior., Barra do Rio Negro 
prov. Amazonas (Spruce, 1167, 1734, 1796). 
This is described as a small tree, about 7 feet high, bearing an edible fruit, called 
Uaiatumá by the natives. The axils of the straight virgate branches are about 1 inch 
apart; the leaves, distinguished by their peculiar surface, are 33-53 in. long, 14-14 in. 
broad, on a petiole 34-4 lines long. The axillary panicles, 6-7 lines long, appear almost 
binary, branching from a bud-like peduncle 1 line long, the primary, secondary, and ter- 
tiary divarieated branches are each 2 lines long, while the rest, becoming gradually 
shorter, are finally so much approximated that the many almost sessile flowers form an 
almost agglomerated head: the sepals are 4 line long, the petals rather more than 1 line 
long, the flower, when expanded, being 2i lines in diameter. The somewhat globular 
fruit, depressed above and below, is 1-11 inch in diameter, and has a thin rugous char- 
taceous, almost membranaceous pericarp, with nearly evanescent dissepiments; the six 
seeds, covered by lax cellular tissue, the residue of a probably mucilaginous pulp, are 
collaterally placed in a single series round the centre; they are oval, somewhat angular by 
mutual pressure, 6 lines long, 43 lines thick, each exhibiting a small hilum a little below 
the summit on the ventral angle; the outer integument is rather thick, coriaceous, con- 
sisting of two agglutinated laminse, between which is seen a white close network of 
innumerable fine longitudinal spiral filaments, easily drawn out when the integument is 
broken across : the embryo fills this shell, and consists generally of three (sometimes two) 
somewhat angularly compressed, fleshy, equal cotyledons, united at the summit by a small 
superior radicle. From Mr. Spruce's specific name 1 conclude the seeds are enveloped in 
an edible sweet pulp, as in other genera. 
