520 SEN. J. CORREA DE MELLO ON A NEW SPECIES OF ALIBERTIA. 
The Gardenia sessilis of Vellozo, as shown in his figure, seems to be the g plant of 
Marmeladinha do Campo; but I may remark that in that drawing the margin of the 
calyx appears dentated, thus differing from that of the Marmeladinha, which, further, 
cannot belong to the genus Gardenia. 
ALIBERTIA MELLOANA, Hook. f. ; foliis 3—5-pollicaribus elliptico-lanceolatis y. ovatis basi 
acutis v. in junioribus amplioribus orbiculato-ovatis basi rotundatis, stipulis trian- 
gularibus acutis, floribus g dense fasciculatis parvis glaberrimis, limbi parvi lobis 
rotundatis subacutis, antheris tubo subæquilongis, fl. ? calycis glaberrimi limbo 
brevissimo integerrimo, bacca globosa pollicari 3-5-loculari polysperma, seminibus 
1 poll. diam. subreniformi-orbiculatis compressis.— Gardenia sessilis, Vellozo, Flor. 
Flum. p. 102, Ic. vol. iii. t. 11.—Marmeladinha do Campo * incol. 
Hab. In open dry sandy plains covered with underwood at Campinas, in the province of St. Paul, Correa 
de Méllo; province of Goyaz, Burchell; Minas Geraes, Claussen; Ceara, near Crato, Gardner, 
No. 1687 ; and Pernambuco, No. 1151 
A small tree or shrub, with many stems, very glabrous, 5—7 feet high; stem 2-4 inches in diameter when 
growing in the open country, where it is usually burnt to the ground every year by the ordinary 
process of clearing the soil, or destroyed by cattle, 82-114 feet high and 4-6 inches in diameter, 
when cultivated in gardens. Trunk divided from the base into several stems (three to six), which 
are cylindrical, surface of bark cinereous, with many fine shallow clefts; branches unequally 
dichotomous T, erect, or erecto-patent, seldom patent, young branchlets (of the present year) 
generally cylindrical, compressed immediately below the insertion of the leaves, a compression 
seldom extending along the whole internode, green, shining. Leaves opposite, almost always oblong, - 
sometimes oval or ovate-oblong, shortly acuminated at the obtuse apex, shortly narrowed at the base 
and decurrent on the petiole, from 3-7 inches long, including the petiole, from 1-3 inches broad, 
entire, with a narrow white scarious margin, penninerved, lateral nerves about 20, in the axils 
of which is sometimes seen a small gland perforated in its centre, a perforation that affects the 
epidermis; older leaves coriaceous, dark green and shining above, paler beneath and subopaque, 
lateral nerves midrib and reticulated veins prominent on both sides, younger leaves membranous, 
reddish purple and shining* on both surfaces, when quite old the nerves are sulcated above; petiole 
somewhat thickened at the base, about 3 lines long, convex beneath, flat near its insertion on the 
blade, channelled above; stipules interpetiolar, very entire, broadly oval, sheathing, acuminate, acute, 
splitting longitudinally here and there by the thickening of the branch, generally in the axils of 
the leaves, very persistent. Flowers in the axils of each dichotomy, or terminal on the branches, 
polygamo-dicecious ; pedicel solitary, thick, generally very short and compressed in the 1-flowered 9 
specimens, somewhat dilated at the apex in the d, where are inserted many distinct flowers (about 
twenty), each on a very short pedicel, thus forming a sort of head, with a centrifugal and unequal 
expansion 1, pedicels continuous with the peduncle, and articulated with the calyx; bract sheathing, 
* Marmeladinha is the diminutive of Marmelada ; and Marmelada is the name given to a kind of sweetmeat in 
form of a paste, made from the fruits of Pyrus Cydonia, L., and sugar. It is called Marmeladinha, because the 
pulp of the fruit somewhat resembles Marmelada. The name Marmeladinha do Campo is used to designate not 
only the fruit, but the plant; so that to denote an individual plant of it it is customary to call it a stock of 
Marmaladinha do Campo. 
+ The branch is divided into two, generally equal in thickness; but one of them, after producing one or two pairs 
of leaves, ceases to grow, while the other continues to lengthen, and subdivides itself in the same manner. 
t The development and opening of the flowers take place from the centre towards the Fumo with much 
regularity, so that a bud in a young state is often seen close to the flower already opened. 
