﻿222 MR. J. MIERS ON THE LECYTHIDACEiE. 



The fruits are said to be collected in large quantities on the 'Rio Magdalena, and 

 exported from Cartagena for the purposes of tanning. 



1 



30. Lectthis elliptica, H. B. K. vii. 259; DC. Prodr. iii. 329; Berg, Linn, xxvii. 449; 



Gustavia dubia, Berg, I. c. 446 : ramulis pallide brunneis, opacis, ochraceo-pruinosis, 

 tenuissime striolatis; foliis oblongis, imo rotundiusculis, et in petiolum breviter 

 acutatis, aut ibi saepe obsolete cordatis, apice latiuscnle obtusis, et interdum subito 

 breviter apiculatis, marginibus \ ix revolutis, crenato-subserrulatis, chartaceis, supra 

 pallide viridibus, opacis, sub lente minute granulatis, neryis tenuibus patenter diver- 

 gontibus semiimmcrsis, reticulatim venosis, costa tenui pruinosa, plana, imo dilatata 

 et canaliculata, subtus pallide opacis, costa striolata pruinosa nervis venisque paullo 

 prominulis, petiolo supra piano, dilatato, late marginato, subtus pruinoso, limbo 

 16-18plo breviore : panicula terminali, folio breviore, ramis paucis, brevibus, paten- 

 tibus ; rachi angulosa, opaca, nodis alternis et subapproximatis florigeris ; pedicellis 

 validis, brcvissirais; sepalis subovatis, crassiusculis, expansis, extus carinatis et 

 pallide pruinosis, marginibus membranaceis pectinato-denticulatis ; petalis obovato- 

 oblongis, obtiisis, crassiusculis ; ovario scmiinfero, subsulcato, 4-loculari, vertice 

 vix elcvato subpulvinato radiatim striate ; stylo sepalis breviore, subtereti, obtuso : 

 pyxidio subparvo, cupulari, sub medium angustiore rotundato, 6-sulcato, medium 

 versus zona ealycari prominente annular! ambitu 6-lobata cincto, lobis tumidis ; 

 vitta interzonali convexa et sensim acclivi, apice introrsum convexa, diametri 

 dimidio altitudine; zona superior! latissime circular!, ore suberecto; operculo 

 ignoto : pcricarpio pallide brunneo, imo crassissimo, lateribus tenuioribus, coriaceo- 

 lignoso, minute granuloso et impresse varioloso, obsolete 4-loculari; seminibus 

 oblongis, rufo-brunneis, leviter costatis. In JSToya Granada, ad Morales, prope Eio 

 Magdalena : v. ^l. s. in hb. Hook., prope Santa Marta {Vurdie, 51) ; prope Car- 

 tagena [I^iirdie, 624) ; in hb. Banbury {JPurdie) ; v. fr. s. in Mus, Kew., Bio Mag- 

 dalena (Turdie). 



This plant agrees well with Kuntk's description of Bonpland's specimen from the same 

 locality, and IS said to be a wide-spreading shrub, 4-6 feet high, but sometimes a large 

 tree 40 feet high, common in the swamps of the Masdalena. The leaves are 6i-6| 



3i in. broad, on a petiole 4-5 lines long, and having about 16 pairs of 



^m 



8-12 in. Ion 



ri!i.!^^.'''o if ™^^^^ .«^«^t^r^ all archingly connected near the margins. The 

 '"'*'""''" " ' S^ with prominent nodes 3 Unes apart, thick pedicels 2 Hues long ; 



sepals 2i Imes long, If line broad; petals 16 lines long, 7 lines broad; the pyxidium 

 (1 lat^ J.L fig. 2) at its basal portion is 3 in. in diam., IJ in. high, above which the 

 calycary zone suddenly expands to a diam. of 4 in. ; the interzonaiy band is H in. high, 

 ^. m. m diam. ; upper zone 2i in. in diam. ; the pericarp, f in, thick below, 4 lines thiek 

 on the sides, is 2 m. deep, and 2* in. in diam. inside. 



Dr. Berg (in Linn, xxvii pp. 446 & 449) doubted the propriety of retaining tbis 

 species ; but the exceUent specimens of Purdie prove the correctness of Kunth's diagnosis. 



