﻿234 MR. J. MIERS ON THE LECYTHIDACE^. 



sliort very depressed operculum ; but it differs in its quite orbicular form, with a pericarp 

 of twice its thickness. The tree from which these fruits were obtained is very lofty, 

 growing in the forests near the Barra do Eio Negro. 



6. Chytroma ttjrbinata, nob. : Lecythis turUnata, Berg in Mart. El. Br. I. c. 493, 



tab. 73 (icon, fruct. distort.) : Lecythis^ sp., Spruce in Hook. Kew Joum. v. 170, 

 no. 4 : ramulis pallide et opace brunneis, ramosis, rugosis, substriatis, lenticellis 

 vciTuculosis ; foliis majusculis, elongato-oblongis, imo in petiolum sensim acutis, 

 apice in acumen sublineare longum acutissimum subito attenuatis, integris, vel ad 

 marginem cartilagincum subrevolutum punctis obsoletissime serratis, rigide chartaceis, 

 supra pallide viridibus, opacis, nervis tenuissimis vix prominulis, costa tenui carinata 

 prominontc, su])tus pallidioribus, fulvo-opacis, costa crassa pruinosa, nervis flavidis 

 venisquc promincntibus ; pctiolo valido, canaliculato, marginato, subtus corruguloso, 

 limbo ]G-20plo breviore : racomis terminalibus et axillaribus, folio multo breviori- 

 bns ; rachi nodosa, circ. 10-14-flora; pediccUis subtenuibus; sepalis oblongis, cras- 

 siubculis, persistentibus ; ovario 4-loculari ; rachi fructifera incrassata, flexuosa, 



if 



valdc nodosa, pruinosa : pyxidio globoso, imo hemispheerico, ssepe gibboso et difformi, 

 circn medium zona calycuii e sepalis 6 linca nexis cincto ; vitta interzonali sub- 

 acclivi convcxa, diamctri sextam partem alta; zona superiore quam calycaris paullo 

 mi no IV, circular! ; opcrculo isti conformi, quam vitta fere triplo altiore, valde con- 

 vcxo, obtuse uml)oimto aut sublaivi, subtus valdc concavo, cum velario intra faucem 

 desccndentc; pericarpio coriacco pallide brunneo, subrugoso, lenticellis granosis 

 flavis maculato, primum 4-loculari (aut abortu 1-2-loculari), sicco dissepimentis 

 pvanidis pscudo-1-loculari ct 4-spermo (aut abortu 1-spermo) ; seminibus uniseriatim 

 imo afTlxis, ovutin, dorso convcxis, ventre subangulatis, testa Ifevi, flavescente, raphe 

 ad angulnm vcntralem lata, ramis linearibus furcatis. In Amazonas : v. pi. s, in hb. 

 vai'ih, Barra do Bio Negro {Spruce, 1167, cum fruct. distort.); in hb. SooL, 



Barra {Spruce^ 1238) ; cum fruct. normal, in Mus. Kew. (Spruce, 1238) ; etiam Bio 

 Arepicurii (Spruce), sine numero. 



This very distinct species belongs certainly to this genus, and not to Lecythis, because 

 of its fruit and seeds. Berg's drawing of the monospermous fruit is correct and like that 

 of my own specimen (Spruce, 11G7) ; but these are of abnormal growth, 1-locular by the 

 abortion of the other cells, and, in consequence, of a very gibbous form. The second 

 specimen of the plant (Spruce, 1263) has a note attached to it, saying that the fruit is 

 sent separately ; and accordingly we see in the Museum at Kew a fruit marked with that 

 number, so that no doubt can exist as to their identity. It is quite similar to another 

 collected at Rio Arepicurii by Spruce, and is one of the kind called Ufacacareciiy^ 

 (Monkey-cups) by the natives. 



The species forms a low tree, much branched, growing in the Iguarapes (inundated 

 lands) of the rivei-s ; the axils of the branches are f-ljin. apart ; the leaves are 7-0 i '^^ 

 long (including the narrow acumen 1 in. long), and lf-3 in. broad, on a petiole 5-6 lines 

 long ; and they have about 12 paii-s of nerves, with others intermediate anastomosing 

 with them ; the rachis of the racemes is slightly flexuous, U in long, with 10-12 pro- 



