MR. J. MIERS ON THE HIPPOCRATEACEX OF SOUTH AMERICA. 407 
the others; the sepals, petals, and stamens are persistent and unchanged at the base of 
the immature fruit. 
7. PERITASSA FLUMINENSIS, nob.: ramulis teretibus, brunneis, punctis albidis concavis 
obscure lenticellatis: foliis oppositis, oblongo-elliptieis, imo subacutis, apice in 
acumen late lineare obtusulum subito attenuatis, subserrulatis, supra fusco-viri- 
dibus, subnitidis, crebre scrobiculatim corrugulatis, nervis tenuissimis immersis, 
subtus pallidioribus, nervis venisque transversis vix prominulis, opacis, sub lente 
granulis crystallinis minutissimis creberrime punctulatis; petiolo tereti, tenui, cana- 
lieulato, minute granuloso, limbo 7-10-plo breviore: paniculis axillaribus, folio 
multo brevioribus, peduneulatis, repetitim dichotome ramosis, fuscis, ramulis bre- 
vibus, suleatis, bracteolatis, ultimis approximatis, flores 2 brevissime pedicellatos 
gerentibus; bracteolis oppositis, minimis, ovatis, membranaceis, denticulatis ; floribus 
parvis; sepalis rotundatis, obsolete denticulatis; petalis triplo longioribus, lineari- 
oblongis, erectiusculis, fusco-carnosulis, marginibus membranaceis pectinato-fim- 
briatis; disco breviter-tubulari; filamentis erectis, anguste linearibus, disco triplo 
longioribus; antheris parvis, lobis ovatis, fere parallele sejunctis, ad connectivum 
longe excurrens nigrum extrorsum affixis. In Brasilia: v.s. i» herb. Hook., Rio de 
Janeiro (Gomez). 
This species is apparently of shrubby growth, the axils of its branches being about 
l inch apart; the leaves are 23-23 in. long, 10-12 lines broad, on a petiole 3-5 lines 
long. The panicle is less than half an inch in length; its peduncle is 2 lines long, its 
primary branches are 13 line long, the rest gradually diminishing upwards; the flower, 
on a short pedicel, is 13 line long. All parts of the inflorescence are filled with nu- 
merous white spiral threads. 
12. SARCOCAMPSA. 
This genus comprises a small group of South-Brazilian plants, the type of which is the 
Calypso campestris of Cambassédes, which is generically very distinct from the Mada- 
gascar genus of that name recorded by Du Petit-Thouars. They are all low shrubs, with 
opposite or subalternate leaves: their inflorescence is in solitary or geminate axillary 
panicles, 2-3-chotomously divided, with numerous small flowers aggregated at the extre- 
mities of the approximated ultimate divisions in a corymbiform manner; the sepals are 
pectinately ciliated, as in many of the preceding genera; the petals have sinuately pec- 
tinate margins, and are suberect; the disk is short and tubular; the three erect stamens 
are situated entirely within the disk, and have small bilobed anthers, as in Peritassa, 
but have not the excurrent connective which particularly distinguishes that genus. 
The fruit is drupaceous, globular or oblong, seated on a.stipitiform base, on which the 
persistent sepals, petals, and stamens are seen; the epicarp is coriaceous, with a very 
thiek fleshy mesocarp having the substance of an apple, and a thin endocarp; it is tri- 
locular or, by abortion, with only one or two cells, each having a single suspended exal- 
buminous seed, which has a thick coriaceous testa, replete with numerous white spiral 
filaments that are not seen in the mesocarp. The Calypso of Du Petit-Thouars differs 
312 
