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IX. Observations on Alibertia, with pes of a New Species of that Genus. By 
Senr. JOAQUIM CORREA DE MENLO, of Campinas, Brazil. Communicated by Dr. 
Hooker, F.R.S. 
(Plate XLV.) 
Read May 2nd, 1872. 
[BEING in want of materials for the study of the fruit of Alibertia when describing the 
Gardenioid Rubiacee for the ‘Genera Plantarum,’ I applied, through my friend D. Han- 
bury, F.R.S., to Senhor Correa de Méllo, of Campinas, Brazil, for that of the well-known 
South-American fruit 4. edulis, A. Rich. The result has been the following information 
(translated from the Portuguese by our distinguished Vice-President Mr. Miers, F.R.S.), 
together with a beautiful drawing by Miss De Méllo, and description of an indigenous . 
species of the genus, and subsequently dried specimens of the same. This species, which 
is the Gardenia sessilis of Vellozo, appears to be a well-known and widely dispersed 
plant in the drier campos of Brazil, though hitherto undescribed in any European work. 
I have not retained Vellozo's specific name, as that is applicable to the whole genus, 
inclusive of Cordiera, A. Rich., which I have united with it in the ‘Genera Plantarum,’ 
vii. p. 81, together with Scepseothamnus, Gardeniola, and Thieleodoxa of Chamisso, and 
Garapatica of Karsten. Vellozo’s description is further quite insufficient, and the plate 
hardly recognizable.—J. D. H. 
With regard to A/ibertia' edulis, A. Rich., the Goyavier noir of Guiana, all I can say 
is, that it formerly existed in the plains near this city (Campinas), but now only a few 
withered plants remain, which do not flower; there are, however, two vigorous plants 
growing in a garden here, which have been preserved on account of their fruit. There 
is also frequent in the plains of Mogi-mirin a small tree belonging to the order Rubi- 
aceæ, of which I have not yet been able to determine with certainty the tribe, and still 
less the genus and species. During the growth of its ovary it happens, as we find in 
many of the Cucurbitaceæ, that the placente, dissepiments, and walls of the carpels 
become agglutinated together, and form in the unripe fruit a dense mass, in which all 
- iraces of the cells are confusedly marked (figs. 12 & 13); which mass, as the fruit ripens, 
is converted into a soft pulp of the consistence of an electuary, with twenty or more 
seeds dispersed through it. Bearing in view, however, that the ovary exhibits more than 
two cells (sometimes three, often four), and that the fruit is a polyspermous berry, it 
would seem that the plant in question belongs to the tribe Hamelieze, DeC. Although 
the characters of this Rubiaceous plant are neither, for the most part, in harmony with 
those assigned in DeC.'s ‘ Prodromus’ to the genus Alibertia, nor with any genus in 
that work having a baecate fruit; still, as the G'oyavier noir of Guiana is imperfectly 
known, and cannot possibly be identical with this plant (which is known here by the 
vernacular name of Marmeladinha do Campo) a knowledge of it cannot be devoid of 
interest. For these reasons, and that you may understand the nature le its fruit, I now 
send you the accompanying drawing and description. 
